The Cursed Boat
by The Wilky Bar Kid
Summary: Kate temporarily takes command of her own boat while Hammersley is in dock for repairs and has taken Buffer, Spider and Charge with her. But what dark secret is contained in a mysterious letter left in the CO's quarters? Is the boat haunted?
1. HMAS Amberley

CAIRNS  
1415hrs

The scandal had rocked the Australian Navy. The Armidale-class patrol boats were faulty and had cost the life of a sailor. The entire fleet was confined to shore pending an investigation. To fill the gap some of the Fremantle-class boats were being brought back into temporary service but as acting Lt. Cmdr. Kate McGregor looked on at the warship moored to the pier that she was to temporarily take command of, what she saw was not the familiar shape similar to the earlier HMAS Hammersley on which she started her career in the Patrol Boat Force but instead saw an ex-US Coast Guard vessel. In the rush to fill the gap left by the temporary withdrawal of the Armidales the Australian government had secured the use of three of these vessels including this one which had been repainted in the familiar grey and given the name HMAS Amberley.

"What do you think...'boss'?" smiled Buffer standing beside her on the pier at Cairns. He had taken up the habit of calling her 'boss' from the moment it was annouced that she was to take command of the Amberley but used it in a teasing sort of way. "She certainly looks the part."

"That she does Buff" said Kate. "That she does!" Kate examined the warship with her eyes running over its lines. The former Coast Guard Cutter resembled the old Fremantle-class but was much more compact with a smaller forecastle that lead into a deeper hull. Looking at the HMAS Amberley both kate and Buffer knew that the comfort they had been used to on the Armidale-class Hammersley had come to an end.

* * *

Kate stepped into the CO's quarters and dropped her bag of belongings down onto the bunk. It was the first time in her career that she had a bunk of her very own and she lowered herself softly onto it to test its comfort. She bounced up and down indulging the small child that lurks in all of us and she smiled as she uttered to herself, "Hmm, not bad!" She looked around at her quarters. It was quite spartan and compact with a desk and several shelves as well as the ship's safe. That reminded her to do something. She reached into her belongings and produced a book - HMAS Amberley's first log book. She had been given the combination earlier that mroning and had memorised it. She turned the dials until they matched up and turned the handle, opening the safe.

She looked in expecting to find an empty safe but instead had found a small folded up letter. She reached in and removed it. The paper was stained from years of decay and the folds had become quite firm. As such when she unwrapped it she had to very physically hold it open as she read what was written on it.

_Dear Sarah,  
_

_ As I write this to you we are sailing back to port but I am afraid that I will not be aboard when we do. There are whispers amongst the crew. I can't blame the crew for what they may do after all I am to blame for what has happened to this boat and they don't want to sail under my command anymore. Who would? I didn't take it seriously at first but now I am a believer. I see them in my dreams. One way or the other they have demanded my penants. And I fear that Lt. Jackson will be their instrument. Do not mourn me. I have accepted this. I love you and pray that this letter reaches you.  
_

_Your ever loving husband,  
Christopher._

"OH-MY-GOD!" gasped Kate as she fought to catch her breath. She looked at the cause of her surprise, the source of the knocking sound that had wrapped on the door to her quarters. There standing in the doorway was an equally surprised Able Seaman Webb. "Spider!" she gasped in relief. She had been completely absorbed by the mysterious letter and had failed to notice him come to the door. In his hand was a baseball cap.

"I'm sorry ma'am!" said Spider truthfully. "I'm...Sorry!"

"No it's fine" she said starting to chuckle to herself. "I was a million miles away. What can I do for you Able Seaman? Are you settled in ok?"

"Yes thank you ma'am" replied Spider. "I just wanted to thank you again for pushing for my promotion."

"That's quite alright Spider, you've earned it" she replied.

"Well thank you again ma'am and sorry for making you jump" continued Spider. "Oh and there was this!" Spider handed her the cap. She turned it around to the front and read out the words that were emblazoned in gold lettering "HMAS Amberley. Well Spider, we've arrived."


	2. Buffer and Kate on the bridge

Kate would have been lying if she had said the letter hadn't bothered her somewhat. For the rest of the day she spent her time touring the Amberley memorising every nook and cranny until she had a visual picture of the whole ship. By late evening she found herself on the bridge where, for the first time, she sat in her very own Captain's seat. The bridge layout was very similar to the old Armidale-class since both types were of the same generation of patrol boat. As in people so do ships have a fashion sense depending on the time. As she sat in the seat she looked around and the weight of her new responsibility fell down onto her shoulders for the first time. Some would have crumbled but not Kate Mcgregor. She thrived on the adrenalin. She looked forward to the challenge of commanding her own patrol boat.

"Permission to come on the bridge ma'am?" The familiar voice of Buffer echoed across the silent ship's bridge, its tone betraying the smile that ran across his face. Kate turned to face him standing at the top of the steps at the rear of the bridge with an equally big smile. Buffer seemed to be doing everything he could to remind her that she was the CO and more importantly to make her feel like one. But the look he gave her reminded her of a very proud best friend. They had always had a good working relationship and over the three years that had passed it had fostered into a close personal one.

"Permission granted" replied Kate beaming. Buffer walked up the last few steps and she saw that he had two cups of coffee in his hand.

"Thought you might like a brew?" he said handing her one of the cups.

"Thanks!" she said taking the cup. "So how are you finding the new digs?"

"Just like being on the old Fremantles. Just seen Charge down below. He's happy as a pig in -."

"Buffer!" shot Kate menacingly.

"Muck!" he finished. "A pig in muck! Bill Gates aint nowhere to be seen just plain old pistons and engine grease." The two of them shared a light hearted laugh before enjoying a sip of their drinks. "So how are you settling in to your first command_...Boss?"_

"Good!" nodded Kate almost automatically. "It's not the frigate I was hoping for but a ship is a ship I suppose."

"Even if it's a patrol boat?" he asked suspiciously to which she again nodded gently as she looked around. Buffer grinned widely as he shook his head in silent disbelief.

"What?" asked Kate.

"Nothing Boss" replied Buffer with a smirk that screamed the exact opposite. Kate shot Buffer an interrogating glance and he becamne too embarrassed to keep quiet. "I was just thinking that's all. Back to when you first came on Hammersley. You asked me what drew me to patrol boats and you made it clear that you wanted nothing to do with them. 'Horse for courses you said. And yet now here you are in command of your own boat."

"Funny the cards life deals you" she uttered as she raised her cup one more time to sip the coffee.

"No it's more than that ma'am," continued Buffer. "Some people were just meant to be on patrol boats, even if they didn't know it themselves. The first time I saw Mike Flynn I thought to myself - now there's a patrol boat skipper. They have a certain look about them. And the thing is when I look at you now in that chair I can see the same thing. You were meant to be on patrol boats."

Kate looked away in mild embarrassment as if she didn't want anyone to hear the compliment. Even ater three years on patrol boats she still saw herself as a 'big ship' sort of person but it took the words of Buffer to make her realise the change that had taken place within her. She realised that she wasn't the hard shelled impersonal officer she once was. She was now more in tune with her subordinates and she knew the meaning of family aboard a ship. She looked back up at him. Ske knew that even from the start Buffer had been her right arm in everything. He had always been there for her aboard Hammersley and he was now aboard her first command. It was very reassuring that no matter what he watched her back.

"I'm really glad you volunteered for this duty" she said to him.

"Well I couldn't just let you go swanning off on your own now could I?" he joked. "So when are the rest of the crew showing up?"

"Tomorrow" replied Kate. "We are getting a mix of crews from several of the Armidales. My XO is Matt Satchwell from the Kingston."

"A good officer to have" said Buffer to which Kate nodded in agreement.

"Well I'll let you get back to getting acquainted with your ship ma'am" finished Buffer who began to turn to leave when suddenly Kate called out to him to stop. "Yes ma'am?"

"Before you do there's something I want you to look at in my quarters." Buffer, in his chilldhood innocence, had a thousand thoughts run through his head as a result of a female officer asking him to look at something in her quarters but Kate laughed at his innocence and reassured him that it wasn't anything like that. Buffer was built like a professional boxer but his persona still had that youthfulness that appealed so much to Kate. She took him back to her quarters and showed him the letter. He read through it quickly before turning to face Kate.

"So what do you think?" she asked him. Buffer glanced back down at the letter before replying, "Probably the last skipper having a joke at your expense?"

"Maybe" she said. "But don't you find this just a little odd?"

"Yea but thats the point I suppose? I wouldn't worry about it one way or the other though. This boat has been out of service for over eleven years before the RAN got hold of it. Whatever meaning this letter might have had is worth nothing now."

Kate took comfort in Buffer's words. She knew he was right but refused to simply throw it away as he had suggested. Instead she returned it to the safe and tried to concentrate on her work. But as she began her paperwork that night her eyes had a habit of glancing up at the safe in wonder. Something told her that this was not the end of that letter.


	3. Night Watch

THREE DAYS LATER

The hybrid crew of the HMAS Amberley had never worked so hard in their lives as they had done the past three days getting the ship ready to go to sea. The 18 crew comprised eight crewman from HMAS Hammersley, another eight from HMAS Kingston and two 'newbies' fresh out of training. It was not just making sure that Amberley was seaworthy but that the crew were competent enough to sail her safely. Despite some early integration problems it was not long before the crew began to come together and the old rivalry between Hammersley and Kingston was put aside to be replaced by a new sense of pride regarding their new ship. Earlier that third day they had demonstrated to the Navy inspection team that the crew of Amberley could take her to sea and so NAVCOM announced that she would sail at first light the following day. The quick departure was necessary because news of the Armidales being confined to port had spread up north and the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone was becoming filled with Foreign Fishing Vessels (FFVs) hoping to take advantage of the R.A.N.s problems. For nearly all the crew it was a time to unwind before going to sea but for two unfortunate crewmembers whom were on watch it was a night of tedious routine.

"That was you!" Spider's voice seemed to roar across the bridge at the realisation that he had a history with the man he was on watch with. Leading Seaman David 'Fritz' Fitzpatrick leaned back in the helmsman's chair with his feet up against the wall and his hands resting behind his head as he smiled in delight at retelling the story of how he and one of his shipmates from the Kingston had sneaked aboard Hamersley and stolen their mascot – The Mighty Thor! "Do you have any idea the grief I got for that?"

"Shut up!" said Fritz in pure nostalgic delight. "You got us back didn't you? There we are then. So anyway what's this McGregor like? She's a bit of a babe huh?" Spider seemed to wince at the disrespectful tone of Fritz. It's true that he had been less than respectful in the past but these days he had taken some pride in his XO (now temporarily his CO) and as such expected the same from others.

"She's alright I suppose" said Spider. "She's a good officer. What about Satchwell?"

"What about him?" asked Fritz grinning as if Spider had just asked a question on the most uninteresting topic in the world.

"What's he like as an XO?" continued Spider.

"Ah well now" sighed Fritz. "You know how there are some officers who make a name for themselves by being quite daring? Y'know your Dick Currys or Mike Flynns? Well Satchwell is one of those officers who has got where he is purely by playing it safe. It's not that he's a bad officer it's more that he's just about as dull and uninteresting as a bowl of Corn Flakes."

Judging by what Fritz considered to be 'interesting' Spider didn't know if Satchwell being compared to breakfast cereal was a good thing or a bad thing. Instead he just politely nodded as he realised the time. It was now coming upto 0100hrs and it was time for Able Seaman 'Spider' Webb to conduct yet another patrol of the boat. He picked up his checklist and a pen as Fritz picked up the sat phone and contacted port security informing them that all was well. While Fritz was on the phone Spider tapped his clipboard signalling that he was leaving for a patrol and Fritz nodded in acknowledgement.

Spider began his patrol of the boat making sure everything was still in order. Ropes had to be secured. Certain doors had to be kept shut at all times. He had to make his way to the engine room and check on the ship's batteries and engine fluid levels. The whole thing usually took about half an hour to complete and was mind destroying as far as Spider was concerned. After finishing up in the engine room Spider picked up the internal radio handset and called Fritz on the bridge to offer him a cup of coffee or tea from the galley.

"Tea! Milk and four sugars" was the reply.

"Four sugars!" gasped Spider. "What's the matter don't you like your teeth or something?"

"It's the Navy's sugar" explained Fritz jokingly. "The way I see it I should be able to sue the Navy for a new set of dentures and have enough left over for a Porsche."

Spider made his way to the galley through the quiet ship. With no one else around his footsteps echoed heavily through corridors until he reached the galley and began to make him and Fritz a brew. After filling the kettle with water he switched it on and waited for the water to boil. As he poured the water into the mugs he could hear Fritz's own footsteps making their way towards him from around the corner. Spider shook his head in disapproval.

"Mate there was no need to come down. I was going to fetch it up. You better get back up there before someone sees that you're gone." Fritz didn't answer. "Fritz!" called out Spider but there was still no answer as the footsteps got nearer until they seemed to stop just a few metres away from Spider. "Fritz? Is that you?" Spider leaned over the counter and looked down the corridor but there was no one to be seen. Spider felt like such a tool. "Oh very funny Fritz. Ha ha!"

Spider picked up the mugs and carried them out of the galley into the corridor but as he did so he shivered suddenly as if someone had just blown icy cold air onto his hands and face. He brushed it off and carried on towards the bridge. _Just someone walking over my grave_ he joked privately. Spider walked back onto the bridge to find Fritz still sitting in the helmsman's seat but holding a porn magazine. As he saw Spider walk onto the bridge he opened the centrefold to show him the naked picture inside but was surprised to find that Spider had little interest.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Fritz. "Aren't you supposed to be a sailor? Or are you a 'sailor' sailor? I mean you are a bit of a pretty boy. I'd have a go myself if I weren't straight." Spider ignored the joke that implied that he had homosexual preferences and this only seemed to annoy Fritz further.

"So who told you? Was it Buffer or Charge? I bet it was Charge?" Fritz looked at Spider completely bewildered.

"I don't know what you're talking about mate?" said Fritz.

"Yes, yes I'm the one who suppose to have seen a ghost ship" chanted Spider. "So let's all have a little fun with Spider."

"What-the-hell are you talking about?" Fritz's tone was mildly annoyed and as Spider picked up on the fact that he was telling the truth the smile began to drop from his face.

"You mean you weren't just down in the galley a moment ago?" asked Spider nervously.

"Mate I've been up here the whole time!" gasped Fritz. "Seriously! I'm not kidding!"

Spider's heart sank. He was certain he heard someone walking down that corridor. It was clear as day. Part of him believed that Fritz was just a better liar than he had given him credit for. But another part of him was quaking inside. The more he thought about it that night the worse it got. He replayed the whole thing in his head. The footsteps definitely walked towards him but they didn't leave and there was very few places for someone to hide down there. He distinctly remembered hearing them getting to within a few metres of him. It was as if someone had walked right upto him and then vanished. And then there was that weird cold spot as he went through the door. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he realised the cold spot was in the exact location where he had guessed the footsteps had stopped.

Most of the crew had some anxiety that night after all they were taking an unfamiliar boat to sea the next day with a crew that wasn't used to working together. But aboard the HMAS Amberley that night one thing was certain – there was a particularly anxious Spider.


	4. Out to sea

1110hrs - FORENOON WATCH  
THE ARAFURA SEA

HMAS Amberley basked in the glorious sun of a beautiful day on the Arafura Sea, her first day in the service of the Royal Australian Navy. The ship had slipped out of Cairns earlier that morning and was making good time. Lt Cmdr Kate McGregor sat on her bridge and watched as her crew went about their duties. To her right at his station was Ensign Michael Taylor, the ship's navigation officer. This was his first sea duty in over two years having spent the time at NAVCOM on a shore posting. Kate was a little unsure of him but chalked it up to her unfamiliarity of the crew. Holding the helm was Able Seaman Webb whom she had come to know very well over the past three years. She had heard about the 'ghostly' encounter Spider was supposed to have had on the night before they left port and in truth she was a little disappointed that he hadn't 'grown out' of this phase by now but she knew that he was a capable crewmember and was glad to have him aboard with her.

The door at the rear of the cabin opened and in walked her XO, Lt Matt Satchwell from the HMAS Kingston. They exchanged pleasantries and made small talk about how the first few hours at sea was going but spoke little more than that. There seemed to be some kind of invisible force keeping the two of them from striking up a friendship but they had worked well together so far and Kate had decided to settle for a working relationship rather than no relationship. Kate had heard through the grapevine at NAVCOM that it was a close toss up between the two of them for command of Amberley and she suspected that Mike Flynn's influence had something to do with her selection. Whatever the reason she was here now and she knew that she had the opportunity to prove to everyone she was worthy of command.

The satelite telephone at the rear of the bridge began to ring. Satchwell walked over and lifted it off the handset before answering, "HMAS Amberley, Lieutenat Satchwell...Ma'am! NAVCOM!" Kate clambered out of her seat and walked over to Satchwell. She took the handset and acknowledged that she was on the line.

"Kate," boomed Commander Marshall's voice that hinted he was pleased to speak with her. "How's it all going out there so far?"

"Very good, sir. Thank you" replied Kate maintaining her 'game face' in front of the crew but secretly harbouring the desire to smile in self satisfaction.

"Well I'm glad to hear it. You might be interested to hear that Hammersley went into dry dock this morning not long after you left to begin work on the modifications she requies to go back to sea. She should be back at sea within a month."

"That's good news, sir" she said.

"Well anyway, down to business. As you know since our Armidales were confined to port the foriegn fishing fleets have been having a field day. It's time to spoil their fun. Coast Watch is tracking two possible FFVs in your immediate patrol area. One Type 1 and a Type 2. I'm sending you the details of the Type 2 as we speak. I want you to intercept and bring it in. We'll just have to let the other one go for now. Coast Watch are upping their overflights and hopefully that will discourage them into thinking a patrol boat is on its way."

"Understood, sir" acknowledged Kate as she was handed coordinates by Satchwell that had been faxed through from NAVCOM. "I have the details here, sir."

"Good!" said Marshall. "Now Kate, we need to move on this quickly. Our own fishing crews aren't taking too kindly to having the FFVs run unchallenged in our EEZ. We've already had two incidents of Australian crews taking matters into their own hands. The whole area's a powder keg just waiting to go off. We cant afford any slip ups!"

"Don't worry, sir" she replied. "You can count on the Amberley."

"I know I can Kate" said Marshall. "Keep me informed. Good hunting! NAVCOM out!"

Kate hung the handset back up and walked over to Ensign Taylor's station. She handed him the coordinates faxed through from NAVCOM and watched as he went to work. She could see that he was still a little rusty and had to stop herself from intervening in his calculations at least twice. She knew that any direct intervention on her part would further undermine his confidence and would not help him. Instead she just stood back and watched him carefully making sure he made no mistakes.

"Course plotted, ma'am!" he announced as if to breath a sigh of relief.

"Very good" she replied. "Take us there Navigator!"

"Aye ma'am" replied Taylor who walked over to the front of the bridge and stood beside Spider manning the helm. "Starboard twenty! Make revolutions five-five-zero"

"Starborad twenty!" acknowledged Spider. "Revolutions five-five-zero!"

"Very good" said Taylor.

"What's our ETA, Navigator?" asked Kate.

"Approximately three hours ma'am" announced Taylor. Kate walked over to the microphone hanging from the centre of the ceiling of the bridge and squeezed the transmit button. Her voice was magnified over the ship's tannoy system, "Now hear there, Captain speaking! We have been tasked by NAVCOM to intercept an FFV in our patrol area. Our current ETA is three hours. Boarding party make ready for 1350hrs. That is all."

As Kate returned to her Captain's chair the crew of the HMAS Amberley began the busy preperations for boarding a foriegn vessel. The well trained team of professionals worked their ship like it had been in the R.A.N. all it's life and not just an 'honorary' member near the end of it's life. It was as if the ship's past prior to joining the Australian fleet hadn't happened.


	5. Navy Blues

"Hands to boarding stations! Hands to boarding stations! Set damage control state three! Condition Voyage!"

Charge had been in his element since they had left port. Sitting down in the engine room he looked around in delight at the two classic Cummins diesel engines and smiled as they growled_. This_ is an engine room he thought to himself examining the traditional gauges that monitored the engines. No screens! No computers! No Bill _bloody _Gates! Just a man and his engines. Heaven! As the XO called hands to boarding stations Charge looked back nostalgically and thought that he had better enjoy it while he can before he went up on deck to man the crane for the RHIB.

Up on deck Buffer was making sure the boarding party was ready. He checked all his team's equipment personally including the crew from Hammersley. Although he knew he could rely on them he didn't want to show favouritism as he was unsure of the Kingston lot as well as the newbie who was joining them. She was an 18 year old Seaman named Daniella Morales. She had strikingly dark black shoulder length hair and was young in the face. Buffer had kept an eye on her without actually interfering. He saw that although she was doing everything right, as per her training, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed quite out of place amongst the more experienced Hammersley and Kingston crews.

As the boarding party lined up along the deck to get ready to board the RHIB as soon as Charge got it in the water Buffer walked down the line checking all their sidearms were safe and secure before ordering them to holster them. It was every boarding party's hope that they may never have to use their weapons but experience had taught Buffer that in this job you expect the unexpected. Buffer went back to Spider and tugged on his arm.

"Spider! A word!" he said pulling him aside. Spider couldn't help but wonder what it was he had done wrong now. Part of him wondered if his 'ghostly' encounter, the big joke amongst the crew for most of the day, was going to come up as he followed Buffer aside for a moment. "Spider, I want you to do me a favour."

"Sure Buff" said Spider. "Name it!"

"That new girl, Morales" explained Buffer quietly enough so that only Spider could hear. "I want you to take her under your wing, so to speak. She's in the exact same position you were in three years ago. You remember how tough it can be? I want you to help her along the way as best you can but dont make it obvious that I've asked you too."

"Yea, of course Buff" said Spider absolutley beaming at the confidence Buffer was showing he had in him.

"Don't let this go to your head Spider" shot Buffer with the intention of cutting him down from the high perch he had decided to put himself on. "The way I see it you made so many screw ups that she can learn a lot from your errors!" Spider's smile dissapated as his curling lips slowly lowered in annoyance, his smile having 'jumped ship' to Buffer's face who took delight in knowing he still had that influence over young Able Seaman Webb.

The two of them rejoined the boarding party as the FFV came into sight. The Navigator's voice soon boomed over the loud speaker demanding the vessel to stop. Spider had taken up position beside Morales and immediately felt awkward as to how to strike up a conversation. He thought about lots of things but eventually settled on that age old ice breaker.

"Lovely weather for it don't y'think?" he said to her immediately feeling like an idiot.

"Um...I suppose so" replied Morales. The ice was broken and had come back and so the two of them continued to stand there as Charge began to raise the RHIB off the deck while one of his direct subordinates stabalised it with the rope. As Charge monitored the winch as it continued to wind in he couldn't help but regret not having the mechanism aboard the Armidales. In Charge's mind the perfect patrol boat would be a Fremantle-class with the RHIB launching system of the Armidales but he knew that was just personal preference and overall the new boats were superior in everyway, except for killing one poor sailor aboard the HMAS Armidale. _Still_....

As the RHIB began to be hoisted over the side XO Matt Satchwell turned to face his team. "Ok! Listen up!" he yelled over the sound of the crane. "We've got twelve minutes until we reach the end of our EEZ. If that boat gets across the line we've lost her. There's nothing we can do. Speed is the key here guys." No sooner had he finished speaking then the crane suddenly stopped. The XO turned expecting to sea the RHIB in the water but instead found it hanging half way over the side.

"Charge?" yelled out Buffer wanting to know what was going on. Charge was yanking the control columns to the side but the crane wasn't responding.

"What the f..." he gasped quietly to himself in disbelief that this was happening before turning back to acknowledge Buffer. "It must be an electrical fault!" Charge quickly reached down and opened the access panel underneath the crane controls. Time was pressing on and the crew of the FFV watched on with glee as the RHIB continued to just hang there in mid air. Matt soon heard a rather impatient CO's voice in his headset.

"X-ray nine-seven this is Charlie nine-seven. We are coming upto eight minutes to the line. What's the delay, over?" Matt replied explaining what was going on while Charge and Buffer performed a high speed inspection of the wiring and hydraulic piping but couldn't find anything. They were now six minutes to the line and the FFV crew were now in fits of tears and laughter.

"What about the tinny?" asked Satchwell.

"Sir," whined a disappointed sounding Charge. "We dont have time to put the tinny in the water and this is still refusing to budge. And for the love of me I can't tell you why." Everyone knew what Charge was getting at but Matt still needed to hear it.

"What are you saying Charge?" he asked bitterly at the thought of what he was going to have to tell Kate McGregor.

"Sir I think we're going to have to let this one go" explained Charge. There was bitter disappointment all round. Buffer silently cursed and Spider was fuming as the FFV crew began openly taunting them standing there on the deck with no way of getting across to stop them.

"X-ray nine-seven this is Charlie nine-seven. SITREP, over!" Matt braced himself before acknowledging Kate's call. To say that she was not happy would be a grand understatement.

"Hell hath no fury like a CO scorned" uttered Buffer.

"I just can't figure it out. Everything is as it should be" said a bewildered Charge.

"Well it don't matter now" said Matt. "We just crossed the line. There's nothing we can do now."

"DAMN IT!" bellowed Buffer slamming his fist against the crane controls as Charge kept trying desperately to move the RHIB and woe and behold it began to move back into its place on the deck to the utter astonishment of all watching. The general feeling was _typical! _

The would-be boarding party felt the ship beginning to turn back much to the sheer delight and near ecstatic jubilation of the FFV crew who continued on to the north. A short while later and Charge found himself in front of the CO in her quarters. Having known her for three years he could see the look of disappointment written all across her face as she sat in her chair debating how she should proceed. Worse still he felt like it was his fault. Patrol boat crews are different from big ship crews. The team is much tighter and when one person fails the whole team fails. Standing before his CO Charge felt as though he had the guilt of the ship resting on his braod shoulders.

"Before I contact Marshall and tell him that we had to let an FFV go" she said before stopping to compose herself. "I just need to know what to tell him!"

"Ma'am" said Charge sombrely. "I honestly can't tell you what happened. All my training and experience tells me that the whole crane is working properly and we've tested it twice now. It's fully operational. I think we just have to chalk this one up to bad luck, that's all."

"That's not what I wanted to hear, Charge" said Kate as her head slumped into her arm resting on the desk as her predicament became clear. "Alright. For the next few hours I want you to keep running launch drills at regular intervals. Maybe the problem will crop up again and you can identify it. Dissmissed Charge."

"Yes ma'am" said Charge who turned and stepped out of her cabin with his burden filled shoulders, passing Buffer along the way.

Kate slumped back in her chair. She couldn't believe her luck. Her first FFV stop and seizure and this happens! There was a knock on her door. She rubbed her forehead in annoyance praying that it wasn't something trivial because in the mood she was in she was likely to kill someone.

"Come in!"

To her delight she saw Buffer standing in the doorway holding a mug of coffee.

"Sorry for the intrusion ma'am but I thought you might want a brew before contacting NAVCOM" he said as he walked in. Kate was delighted. All that bent up anger and frustration seemed to pour away at the sight of Buffer and the coffee. How does he know exactly what I need? Maybe its the sign of a good Chief Boatswain's Mate? Or maybe it was the sign of a good friend? Either way she couldn't have been happier to see him at that point.

"Is it Irish?" she asked jokingly almsot wishing there was alcohol in it. Buffer just smiled cheekily and replied, "You know the old saying Boss, ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."


	6. A Night to Remember

0024hrs

Kate finished making her entry into the log book. Despite all the technology such as Laptops that were available in the 21st century the ship's log was still written on paper by hand so that if there was ever an electrical failure or a computer virus the log remained. Kate had finished with an entry regarding Charge's tests of the crane that he had been conducting vigorously all afternoon. She felt it necessary to mention it so that the permenant record would show all of Charge's efforts to rectify the problem. She owed him that much at least. She dropped the pen onto the page when she was finished and leaned back in her chair beside the desk in her quarters. She rubbed her tired eyes before glancing down at her watch and thought it was time she got some sleep.

She closed her log book and stood up off the chair to reach the safe that sat above her desk. She entered in the combination and opened the door before picking up the log book and putting it inside. She was about to close the door again and lock it all up when she noticed the letter she had found the first day she had come aboard. For some reason she could not explain she felt compelled to keep it despite Buffer's insistance that there was no point to it. Eleven years is a long time and whatever meaning that letter had must be irrelevent now. So why couldn't she bring herself to get rid of it? She chalked it up to a mix of her imagination and curiosity after all who wouldn't be compelled by such a letter that chalks up images of mystery and drama at sea. Sounds like a bad movie she thought off handedly as she closed the door on the log book and the letter and locked it back up.

She began to unbutton her jacket as she made ready for bed. She placed the camouflaged top onto the back of the chair so that it was within easy reach should she be needed on the bridge in a hurry before climbing onto her bunk. As her head lay there on the pillow she couldn't help but curse her own bad luck at the events of her first day at sea as CO and swore that tomorrow things would be better. With that thought in her mind she turned out the light beside the bed.

* * *

Matt Satchwell stared almost hypnotically out to the darkened Arafura Sea that lay before the HMAS Amberley as he stood on watch. Fritz was manning the helm and Ensign Taylor was confirming their course on his charts. All day since the incident with the FFV a distinct depression had cast its shadow over the ship. It was a poor start and morale had suffered. Worse still the Kingston crew were blaming the Hammersley crew, namely Charge, and the old rivalry was beginning to stir up yet again thanks in no small part to Fritz's mouth. This made things particuarly uncomfortable for Ensign Taylor and Seaman Morales who weren't part of either crew prior to the Amberley.

"Ex!" called out Taylor as he glanced at the radar screen for a moment.

"What is it?" replied Satchwell pulling himself away from his thousand yard stare into nothingness.

"Sir I have a radar contact immediately aft of us at a range of nine nautical miles" explained Taylor. "Its matching our course and speed but I didn't see it there a moment ago."

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Satchwell. "It's well inside our covergae area."

"I'm aware of that sir but I can assure you it wasn't there a moment ago. There could be a malfunction in the radar?"

"Well that's all we need" sighed Satchwell. "Ok keep an eye on it for now and let's see what it does!"

"Aye sir" acknowledged Taylor who glared curiously at the screen. A small green dot sat immediately behind Amberley and Taylor's mind raced as he wondered what it was.

* * *

Kate turned several times as she struggled to get to sleep but it just wasn't working. Some might have thought it was sleeping on an unfamiliar bed but having been in the Navy as long as she had Kate had developed an immunity to such things havng lived the lifestyle of not knowing where you're going to put your head down next. Over the last half hour she had noticed the room had become distinctly cold despite the tropical climate and she had, almost subconcioulsy, pulled the blankets up over her neck. She kept her eyes shut in an effort to force herself to go to sleep but it didn't seem to be working and only served to worsen her mood.

* * *

For twenty minutes the radar contact appeared to be following the Amberley matching course and speed exactly. Both Satchwell and Taylor looked down at the screen with shared curiosity. Even if the target was one of Amberley's sister ships it was near impossible to maintain that exact range from the Amberley for so long due to various factors at sea that would affect its progress.

"Sir!" said Taylor finally. "It's my belief that the contact may very well be a radar malfunction on our part. Recommend we alter course and see what the target does."

"Very well" agreed Satchwell who then turned to Fritz. "Starboard fourty!"

"Starboard fourty!" acknowledged Fritz who then altered course. Taylor and Stachwell watched the contact on the radar screen to see what it did.

* * *

Laying on her right side with her back away from the wall Kate's eyes were finally surrendering and she began to feel herself drifting off. Her left arm was now exposed above the blanket and she felt it instinctively shiver as the cold feeling ran up her arm once more. It seemed to be travelling, starting at her wrist and moving up past her elbows to her shoulders and up to her ear. Suddenly her left ear tingled as if someone was blowing softly onto it.

"They need your help!"

She shot upright in the bed her heart now positively booming in her chest. Had she imagined that whispering sound? It made clear sense and she heard the words distinctively. She almost had to dare herself to turn on the light. She didn't know what she expected to find when she did but as the light clicked on she prepared herself to find someone in her room but instead found she was alone.

She shrieked in surprise momentarily as the internal phone rang then held her head in her hands at feeling so foolish. As she walked towards it ringing on the desk she felt her legs feeling ever so unsteady thanks to the cocktail of adrenaline that was soaring through her body. She picked up the phone and cleared her voice before answering.

"I'm sorry to wake you ma'am" said Stachwell's voice on the other end of the line.

"No it's fine" she said. "What is it?"

"We are currently tracking a vessel that was matching our course and speed. At first we thought it was a radar glitch so we altered course to see how if it would hold its position however as soon as we did the vessel altered course on a heading of two nine zero away from us. We now believe that the target is genuine. We've tried hailing but there's no response."

"Very well" said Kate as she fought to control her breathing not wanting to give away her hyper anxious state in her voice. "Plot an intercept. Let's take a look. I'll be up shortly."

* * *

Kate walked onto the bridge to find Taylor and Satchwell working furiously at the radar station clearly in a state of confusion and Taylor was bordering on near hysterics.

"Problem gentlemen?" she asked giving off an air of confidence that hid her unease about what just happened in her quarters.

"Ma'am, we've lost the target!" said Stachwell. "We were following its course and it maintained its distance before we lost it. It could have gone down."

"Ensign!" said Kate quickly establishing her authority. "Are we sure it was a genuine contact and not a glitch?"

"Yes ma'am" replied Taylor short of breath. "No radar echo or reflection acts like that!"

"In that case" said Kate "Plot a search pattern! Mr Satchwell please inform Coast Watch that we may have a vessel in trouble and may require assisstance from airborne assets. Then make preperations for rescue operations! At the rush!"

HMAS Amberley entered the area where they had last spotted the vessel and began a search with their radar and Infra Red camera. After fifteen minutes searching they had found nothing and so they began to widen their search area. Tempers amongst an already tired and frustrated crew was growing with every passing minute. An hour had gone by and there was still nothing. Then a radio message came in from the Coast Watch plane that was joining the search. They had spotted a small vessel nearby making five knots and appeared to be an FFV. As the Coast Watch aircraft passed over it sighted a distress flare being from the deck. Kate immediately ordered a course change. Confidence was high that this was the vessel they had been tracking on radar. They intercepted the vessel expecting to find one of the more advanced types of FFV with radar and powerful engines. Instead they found a tiny boat with a small wheel house and it's hull low in the water.

Buffer and Kate took turns to look at the vessel through their night vision goggles. Both of them were silently asking the same questions but it was Buffer who voiced them.

"That little thing managed to keep up with us? No way!"

"That can't be our target vessel" said Kate. "So where is it?"

"Maybe it was one of Spider's ghost ships" joked Buffer unaware that Spider was joining them and had heard the remark

"Thank's Buff" sighed Spider walking passed, his annoyance only fuelling Buffer's amusement. A man appeared on the deck of the FFV and fired a second flare into the sky. "Flare, green-two-zero."

"You're a bloodhound Spider" teased Buffer sarcastically since everyone on the deck could see it.

"XO!" called out Kate to Satchwell still inside the bridge. "Take a RHIB over there and see who they are and what the problem is!" They need your help. The words that she thought she had heard in her quarters rang in her mind. No! That was a dream. Surely. This is all a coincidence. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself she couldn't help but feel unsettled as she watched Satchwell, Buffer, Spider and Fritz take a RHIB out to the boat through the NVGs. It was not long before Satchwell radioed back the sitauation.

"Charlie nine-seven this is X-ray nine-seven, over!" Kate picked up her hand held radio and squeezed the transmit button before acknowledging him. "Charlie nine-seven we have four people aboard. They're aren't fisherman. We've got a family aboard. A father, a mother and two young daughters aged about eight and fifteen. The mother speaks a little english and says that they want asylum. They look like Afghans to me."

"Understood" said Kate. "What's the condition of their vessel? Is it safe for towing?"

"No definitely not! Frankly I'm amazed it's still afloat. If we had been any longer then..."

Satchwell didn't need to finish the sentence because the same words were running through Kate's mind over and over again. They need your help.


	7. The Morning After

0910hrs - FORENOON WATCH

HMAS Amberley glided through the Arafura Sea as it headed back to port in the cool early morning air as Kate awoke from a short and troubled sleep. She had tried to rest after the asylum seeking family were brought onboard before their little boat sunk but found it difficult at best for she spent much of the rest of that night laying on her bed listening in case the mysterious voice returned - It didn't. Dressed for duty she went to the toilet and splashed cold water on her face in an effort to wake her up a little but her tiredness was betrayed by the two rather large bags that had appeared under her eyes and she tried desperately to wash them out before heading for the galley.

"Hope I haven't missed breakfast Cheffo?" she said to the rather lanky young man who was standing behind the counter to the galley wiping it over.

"Of course not ma'am...uh...a cup of coffee perhaps?" asked Leading Seaman Luke "Cheffo" Kennedy, one of the Kingston crew.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked dryly.

"I know nothing about nothing ma'am" he chanted as he reached for the coffee maker before a voice from along the corridor interrupted them.

"Make sure you keep it that way Cheffo!" boomed Buffer's voice in an almost annoyed and frustrated tone which surprised Kate somewhat. "Good morning ma'am. Sleep well?"

"Not exactly" she replied stating the obvious.

"Anything I can help you with?" he asked. "Take a watch for you? Murder a crewman - that sort of thing?" In a split second Kate's mood had lifted expediently.

"If only it was that easy Buff" she laughed. "Are you having something?"

"No ma'am I just came to get some SCRAN for our asylum seekers in our rear" he explained signalling to Cheffo who nodded in acknowledgement.

"How are they doing?"

"They're ok for the most part. A bit underfed but that's to be expected. Fritz checked them over and they seem ok but obviously we won't know anything until they get to a hospital. Thanks Cheffo!" said Buffer as Cheffo handed him a tray with four plates of food on them. "If you'll excuse me ma'am?" Buffer carried the tray away as he headed back towards the rear compartments where the asylum seekers were staying.

* * *

"So you don't believe that this radar contact you were pursuing did not belong to the asylum seeker's vessel? Is that it?" Commander Marshall's voice seemed to echo down the satphone into Kate's ear as she stood on the bridge a short while after breakfast. Her patience was beginning to wane, something that she attributed to the night she had just had, and didn't want to be on the line to NAVCOM right now trying to explain the night's events when she was unsure herself of what happened exactly.

"No sir!" she explained as she gripped the back of her seat to relieve her tension.

"Well what happened to it?" asked Marshall annoyed that Kate wasn't being very forthcoming.

"Sir when we lost contact we began a search and didn't find anything. There's not much more to it than that. We received no distress call or signal flare and found no debris" she went on as if for the one hundredth time.

"And your asylum seekers definitely couldn't have been what you were tracking?"

"No sir!" she again repeated as she squeezed her hand on the back of her chair her blood now positively boiling. "The vessel we were initially tracking was able to match our speed of fifteen knots and displayed evidence that it had radar. The asylum seeker's vessel was barely sea worthy when we found it and had no such equipment on board." She heard a rather deep sigh out of Marshall's nostrels.

"Ok Kate. Well Coast Watch are asking for an update and whether or not they should continue looking for this...this _ghost_ship of yours." Kate winced so tightly at the sound of those words that her face felt as though it was caving in at the eyeballs. "I'm going to give them the all clear and thank them for their efforts. In the meantime continue on course until you rendezvous with Customs to drop off your asylum seekers. I cant afford to pull Amberley off patrol just for the sake of a couple of illegals! Marshall out!"

The phone call ended rather abruptly and Kate put down the handset.

* * *

NAVCOM, CAIRNS

Commander Marshall had been sat at his desk at NAVCOM during his conversation with Kate McGregor. Her whole report was messy and with more loose ends than a bad detective movie. His head slumped into his hands as he uttered to himself "It's going to be one of those days." It had not been a good start to Amberley's first patrol. First the crane malfunction, the same crane that is now working properly! Charge must have been negligent and that would be Kate's responsibility. Then there was this whole mess with a mysterious radar contact that suddenly vanished. Short of the target being a submarine it was clear to Marshall that the Amberley had messed up. And that was Kate's responsibility also.

Two problems in two days! Marshall had to admit that at that point he was having serious doubts about his choice of CO for the ship. "Maybe Satchwell would have done better after all?" he murmured. "That's what I get for listening to Mike Flynn."


	8. Bad Karma

1605hrs - FIRST DOG WATCH

The transfer of the asylum seekers to the customs boat went off without incident and soon Amberley was sailing northwards once again. Seaman Daniella Morales walked down to the galley with a numb and almost sombre feeling. Her first few days at sea were more difficult than she ever imagined they could be. She had difficulty warming up to any of the hybrid crew who seemed to be drawing lines amongst one another and the situation was exacerbated by the streak of bad luck that had seemingly caught hold of the patrol boat. A little voice began to tell her that she had made a big mistake joining the Navy. She sat in the enlisted mess eating a salad with a glass of orange juice when Charge and Spider walked in with their own dinners. Her feeling of loneliness increased as they sat opposite with not so much as a glance in her direction.

"I tell ya young Spider" growled Charge as he dashed pepper over his food. "I've served on more than my fair share of big ships and patrol boats over the years but I've never experienced anything like this before! First the crane, then this whole thing with the phantom radar contact not to mention your little encounter the night before we left. Ships have a feel to them and there is something wrong here. At first I thought it's just the boat complaining about going back into service after all it's been in dock for over ten years. But...I just can't place it. It's just a bad vibe I'm getting."

"What like bad karma or something?" asked Spider grinning.

"Laugh all you want!" replied Charge. "When I was on the Swan a junior sailor thought it would be funny to do one of those spirit board things in his cabin."

"A what? You mean like a Ouija board or something?" asked an increasingly bemused Spider who seemed to think that everything that could happen aboard a ship apparently happened to Charge aboard HMAS Swan. From Russian subhunting to UFO sightings it all happened when Charge was aboard.

"That's it! Got one when we visited San Diego in the states. One night the XO went to see why he hadn't shown up for duty?" Charge paused before continuing. He suddenly had Spider's complete attention as the story seemed to get more interesting. Although she knew it was rude Daniella couldn't help but listen in. "They found him hanging in his quarters by the neck. On the floor in front of him was the Ouija board with the little glass thing, the uh, uh, the planchette sitting over the words 'good bye'."

The hairs on Daniella's neck were standing on end as she listened to the story. Charge had a voice perfect for ghost stories and it was only as Spider started to laugh heartily that she felt silly for getting caught up in the tale.

"You are so full of it Charge!" laughed Spider. "You cant scare me with those old tales anymore. I'm not some rookie anymore."

"Say what you like, it happened! I was there! And all I am saying is that how the Swan felt after that is how this boat is feeling now. And if you still don't believe me let me ask you this? What was it you heard the night before we left port? Huh? It was only you and Fritz onboard and that idiot was up on the bridge all night."

Spider's cocky smirk wouldn't have faded quicker if Charge had hit him over the head with a cricket bat! He feigned a smirk for his own benefit but it's passion was definitely gone and Spider seemed to sink into eating his dinner in silence. As Spider bit off a piece of a chicken leg he suddenly had a thought and turned to Charge, "Ah but you knew that there had been a death onboard so you were bound to feel a little off. Who knows what could have happened onboard this boat before we came on?" Charge smirked as if he knew something and wanted Spider to know it too. "What?" asked Spider swallowing the bait whole.

"Just something I heard" uttered Charge deviously. Spider looked as though he wasn't going to give up until he had his answer and so Charge asked, "Swear you wont repeat it?" Daniella felt insulted that he wasn't asking her the same but still listened in. Spider nodded and Charge continued, "I heard Buffer and McGregor talking not long after we came aboard." Charge leaned in closer to Spider as his voice lowered. "Apparently the CO found a letter in her quarters that had been left by the last skipper when it was still in USCG service. The letter said something about a mutiny onboard."

Daniella jumped in her seat as her glass of orange juice tipped over spilling it's contents over the table. Spider, gripped by Charge's stories, let out an embarrassing shriek at the suddeness of her movement and his head whipped back towards her standing next to the table with the spilled drink running down the side.

"Careful!" called out Charge.

"I didn't touch it!" she replied. "It just tipped over!"

"Well go and get something to clean it up with!" he grunted as he finished his food and took the plate back to Cheffo. She went to the galley to get a tea towel to wipe up the mess. When she returned Spider had gone also and she was left alone to wipe it up. She leaned over the table as she began to clean it up. She sighed in annoyance as if to say 'typical that this would happen to her' but as she exhaled through her mouth she was surprised that she could see her breath as if it were a cold winter's evening and not the middle of the afternoon near the equator!

Then something caught her attention? It wasn't a smell. It wasn't a sound. She didn't know what it was exactly but she felt as though someone was next to her. She couldn't explain what was causing it but she was certain that if she looked to the side there would be someone there and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. On the contrary she felt that the 'thing' didn't want her there. She stood motionless still leaning over the table her hand holding the tea towel firmly in the spilled juice. She fought to compose herself as she became overwhelmed by the urge to run. She knew she was probably being silly and that in all likelihood her unease was a result of Charge's stories but she seemed so sure that there was someone there. Finding courage that she thought she was incapable of given her feeling of dread she managed to tilt her head to the right but her eyes had stubbornly decided to close shut and refused to open. With her head now facing where she sensed this 'thing' she looked inside herself for that last bit of bravery to open her eyes. Her body was trembling so hard she was convinced the whole ship could feel it in the floorboards but nevertheless her eyes opened.

A black figure rushed at her and a voice snarled angrily "Get off my ship!"

* * *

Buffer opened the hatch from the sea deck to go below when suddenly it flung open with such force that he fell back on to the handrail that ran along the circumference of the ship.

"What the bloody hell?" he gasped angrily as he looked to see what bus had just hit him but was stunned to see Daniella Morales running in an hysterical panic towards the rear of the ship. "Morales!" he called out after the girl who was bitterly sobbing. He chased after her. "Morales!" To his horror he caught up with her climbing the handrail at the rear of the ship as she was getting ready to jump. "Oh my God! Morales! Wait!" He paused just a few feet from her as she lifted her left leg over the side, her twisted and distraught face wet from heavy tears that Buffer never thought were possible. "Morales please!" pleaded the now equally frightened Buffer. Morales had thankfully stopped with one leg on each side of the handrail. Buffer knew the next few moments were critical. This could go one way or the other. "Morales," he said more softly and holding his right had out. "Whatever it is we can sort it! Whatever someone has said or done we can take care of it! I know what it's like the first time at sea. You're not the only one who has ever thought of doing this. Please! Climb back over!"

Daniella just seemed to cry even harder as she listened to him.

* * *

Ensign Taylor glanced up momentarily from his maps and looked out from the windows of the bridge. His position offered him an excellent view all round the starboard side of the ship. Suddenly something caught the corner of his eye.

"Ma'am! Quick!" he called out to Kate who came running to see what the commotion was. She looked out the aft facing windows and saw what was happening on the rear of her ship.

"Oh my God!" she gasped before barking "All stop!"

"All stop aye!" replied the helmsman who throttled back.

* * *

Buffer took two slow small steps towards her. His eyes quickly assessed the situation. Her hands and legs were trembling on the handrail and he knew that there was a very real danger of her falling by accident.

"Daniella?" he said gently. "Daniella? I want you to look at me!" His voice was softer than she had ever heard it but above all it was generally caring. Despite all the fear of what she had just experienced a small part of her was happy that she was finally being acknowledged albeit for all the wrong reasons. Her neck had seemed to have stiffened as she sat atop the handrail and it took some effort on her part to look back at him.

Buffer noticed that the wash from the engine was dissipating which meant the bridge had seen what was happening and had stopped the engines in case she went over. That way if she did fall she couldn't get too far from the boat. His assumption was proved correct as Kate came rushing up behind him. She stopped several feet behind Buffer knowing that any sudden movement on her part might startle Morales and she could fall. She trusted Buffer enough to handle the situation. "Daniella. I want you stay perfectly still." Buffers words were as slow and clear as he could possibly make them. "I'm going to come to you and you're going to grab on to me and then I'm going to lift you back over. And after that I promise you, _I promise you_, that who or whatever it is that has caused you to do this we will sort it! Ok?"

Buffer took a few more steps towards her and was now just a little over an arms length away from her. She sobbed bitterly as if trying to say something but she couldn't get the words out so instead she just nodded slightly. "Ok! Don't try and reach out for me until I say. Let me come to you!"

Kate seemed to forget to breath as she watched him step even closer to the young sailor. As Buffer reached around her waist with his arms he said to Daniella, "I know what you're going through." Again she tried desperately to speak but again the words failed to come out and Buffer continued, "My first time out I thought about it as well. Even got to the handrail ready to lift myself over." Kate's focus suddenly turned to Buffer.

"What?" she gasped silently. That was something she never knew about her friend. It was something she couldn't even contemplate. He was so strong and confident that the thought of him considering taking his own life rocked her whole perception of him.

"I was lucky that there was someone there for me just like I am for you" he continued. "Now...Let go!"

Feeling that it was safe to do so she released her tight grip on the handrail. Quick as a flash Buffer seemed to yank her body back over the rail and the two of them collapsed onto the deck. A solitary tear of gratitude and relief ran down Kate's cheek as she looked at the two of them safe and sound laying on the deck in each others arms. Daniella gripped onto Buffer so tightly it was as if he were life itself and she sobbed bitterly into his shoulder as he comforted her.

"There, I got you!" he whispered to her as they rocked back and forth in each others arms. "I got you!"

Buffer looked up at Kate who was finally breathing again. 'Thank you' she mouthed to him to which he acknowledged with a slight nod. Buffer returned his focus to Daniella as he lifted her from his chest and stared into her tear soaked eyes as he jokingly said, "Who do you think you are hey? Kate Winslet? I'm telling you now I ain't no Leo!"

Even Daniella couldn't help but chuckle at Buffer's humour as it lifted the heavy air that had encompassed them from being so close to a disaster. It was perfect for the moment even if it only lasted a few seconds. As Kate looked down at her friend holding the sailor in his arms she began to wonder if there was any truth in what he had told Morales. Although it may as well have happened a lifetime ago she felt she couldn't let it go. This was her friend. No this was more than that! They had grown so close that it felt like he was a loved one and she couldn't just let it pass.

She had to know...

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm sorry this Chapter has been a long time coming but I've been having some technical difficulties with my netbook but here it is for you. Hope you enjoyed it and I would like to thank everyone for their supp****ort and taking the time to read my story. I hope you have enjoyed it so far and continue to do so. This chapter pretty much concludes the first act. I wanted to establish the new crew and boat and now that's been done the story is going to get a little more complex as they struggle to find meaning in the events happening on board and the purpose of the letter.**

**- Tony Wilkins  
**


	9. Fallout

Kate closed the door to her cabin and slumped up against it. Never in her career had she been forced to deal with so much over just two and a half days. Although Seaman Daniella Morales was now safe and sound down below with 'Fritz' who was looking over her the possibility of what might have happened if she had gone over echoed repeatedly in her mind. Images of Morales going over the side replayed in her head. She knew it was silly to think in such a way but she couldn't help it. She was legally responsible for every single person on _her _ship and at this moment that burden hung around her neck like a hangman's noose.

The door vibrated with three quick and heavy knocks. The knocking startled her and she quickly composed herself before stepping away from the door and answering, "Come in!" There was no reply. "Come in!" she repeated at the door but still there was no response. This began to make her blood boil. She was in no mood to be messed around with and as she went to open the door there were three more knocks once again. She turned the handle and as the door opened she found Lt. Matt Satchwell standing there with a piece of paper in his hand. "Why didn't you come in?"

"Ma'am?" asked Satchwell puzzled.

"I told you to come in" explained Kate annoyed as she walked back towards her desk leaving a confused Satchwell standing in the doorway. As he stood there he wondered what she had meant? He replayed everything he did in his mind. He had walked down from the bridge with the message from NAVCOM and knocked on the door. No sooner had he finished knocking then she opened the door. He didn't hear her say anything? "Well Lieutenant? What is it?" she asked slumping into her chair and rubbing her brow as a headache began to manifest itself.

"Um, NAVCOM have sent us a message regarding another one of our patrol boats" explained Satchwell as he checked the details on the message before continuing, "It seems the HMAS Dalwallinu intercepted an FFV about four hours ago in their patrol sector not far from our own. It was shot up pretty bad by small arms fire. The crew claim that it was an Australian flagged commercial fishing boat that had fired on them."

"Great!" sighed Kate. "Vigilantes at sea. That's all we need!"

"Yes ma'am" acknowledged Satchwell before continuing, "They've sent us a description of the vessel taken from the FFV crew and NAVCOM want us to keep an eye out for it in case it comes our way."

"Very well" said Kate. "Is everyone assembled?"

"Yes ma'am. Fritz is finishing up with Morales. She was in quite a state when I just went to check on her. Fritz has given her a mild sedative to calm her down. She's going to sleep it off a bit."

"Ok" finished Kate. "I'll meet you there shortly." Satchwell nodded and turned to leave his CO alone for a few minutes.

* * *

It was fifteen minutes later and most of the senior crew were assembled in the enlisted mess. Among their number was Satchwell, Fritz, Taylor, Buffer, Spider and Charge. They waited patiently for Lieutenant Commander Kate McGregor to arrive. They knew what was coming. A potential whirlwind was about to launch through the door but to their surprise Kate looked distinctly calm as she entered and pulled across the small curtain to give them some, albeit little, privacy from the rest of the crew. Amberley was after all a small ship and voices carried.

"Gentlemen!" she started standing near the doorway looking down at the assembled crew members. "We averted a potential tragedy today. Had it not been for Buffer we could very well be fishing out the body of a fellow crew member right now." They all listened closely. Buffer didn't feel pride at his name being mentioned but instead was thankful that he was up on deck at that particular moment. It was a noble sentiment that felt misplaced with him as he felt compelled to share some of the responsibility of Daniella Morales trying to take her own life. He didn't know the truth of what happened. None of them did. "Fritz, how is she doing?"

"Well ma'am" answered Fritz. "I had to sedate her to calm her down. She was almost hysterical! She's sleeping ok now and should be out for a good four or five hours."

"Ok, thank you Fritz" said Kate before turning to the rest of them. "What happened today reflects failure upon everyone in this room, myself included. We have a duty of care to those under us and we have failed Seaman Morales. Now this didn't just happen overnight. Something must have happened to push her to try to take her own life. Who was the last to see her before this happened?"

Spider cleared his throat in quite a sheepish almost childish manner before answering, "Uh, me and Charge saw her in here about five minutes before she went up on deck, boss. She was having her food at the same time as us."

"Ok well did you two say anything to her that might have upset her?" asked Kate. Neither of them answered. "Did you say _anything _to her? Anything at all?"

"I, uh" stuttered Charge. "I asked her to clean up the glass of orange juice that she spilled but I wasn't overly mean or anything about it."

"But other than that?" continued Kate. The two of them remained silent as guilt ran across their faces.

"The two of you" intervened Buffer accusingly, "completely blocked out a new and naturally nervous young sailor as you stuffed yourselves?" Their silence said it all.

"Was there anything else?" added Kate. "Was there anything you were talking about that might have specifically upset the poor girl?" They stayed in guilt ridden silence. "Well? What were you talking about?"

Charge and Spider both looked at each other before Charge answered, "I was talking about how there was a 'feeling' onboard. And...How the last time I felt something like this was when I was aboard the Swan..."

"Go on!" ordered Kate knowing there was more to this story.

"I mentioned that...When it happened on the Swan...A crew member had killed themselves."

Kate's world seemed to collapse around her at the realisation that it was Charge's story that had put the thought into this frightened eighteen year old girl's head to kill herself. Of all the people he was the last person she had expected to have something to do with this. Kate didn't know what she was going to do. She knew that in her present state of mind she was going to do something stupid. She took in a deep and cleansing breath as she decided to let it all go for just a few moments. Charge and Spider were going to have to answer for this but not now. The looks on their faces revealed that the two of them were punishing themselves enough at the moment.

"Gentlemen we are not looking particularly good right now" she said. "I know there have been some integration problems and, dare I say it, bad luck that has hit this ship and her crew but given the experience of everyone here in this room I expect a lot more! The cloud that's hanging over us ends right now! Sort yourselves out! Check on your subordinates! A few moments ago we learned that an FFV was attacked by Australian vigilantes. Our country expects us to protect our EEZ and we cant do it if this ship is too busy feeling sorry for itself!"

With that the meeting ended and Kate left them like a room filled with naughty schoolboys who had just been told off by their teacher. She went down to the enlisted quarters that was little more than a row of bunks on the way to the engine room. There she found Morales still sedated and resting comfortably on one of the top bunks. Her peaceful expression was a far cry from when Kate saw her just over half an hour ago.

Even though she knew that Morales couldn't hear her she felt compelled to say something to the young woman. "I'm sorry" she uttered under her breath as she bushed aside a sweat soaked strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead. "I won't fail you again! I promise!"

Kate shuddered. It was as if someone was walking over her grave and for a moment she could have sworn that someone walked passed her but she chalked it up to just an uneasy feeling and let it go. She sat on the bottom bunk underneath Morales and waited for her to wake up.


	10. Cometh the Night

The ship had turned particularly cold that night as Kates' footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, each one seemingly preceding a thousand echoes that rang out across the vessel. Disoriented, she struggled to focus her eyes and saw that she was in the galley but there was no one around. Not a soul! It was as if her crew had abandoned the patrol boat!

Worried and confused she made her way up to the bridge. As she climbed the steep wooden steps that lead to the rear of the 'brain' of HMAS Amberley she gasped as she lost her footing and she fell onto the steps. Lifting herself up off the steps her heart froze as a sound like thunder roared in the hull. The ship trembled so violently that Kate had to hold on to the handrail to stop herself from being shaken back down. The trembling stopped just a few moments after it had started it. It was as if the ship had hit something.

Fuelled by adrenalin she burst on to the bridge but found that it too was abandoned! She rushed forward to see what it was they had hit but found a calm and peaceful ocean ahead of the vessel with a bright full moon reflecting off the water. Now almost panic stricken she ran the circumference of the bridge peering through every window to look for any sign of her crew but they were nowhere to be found. She was alone!

All her life she had hidden behind the image she wanted everyone to see. Confident. Intelligent. Tough, but the truth was right now she felt less like Lieutenant Commander Kate McGregor and more like a frightened little girl hiding under her blankets. She felt totally helpless as she slumped into the CO's chair in the middle of the room. Helpless and alone!

"Where are you all?" she seemed to sob struggling to speak. A hand grabbed her right shoulder from behind!

* * *

"What the..." Kate cried out as she felt the hand wake her from her nightmare! The shock of being awoken so suddenly caused her to bolt upright almost hitting her head on the bunk above her where Morales still lay sleeping. Her terrified eyes raced around her surroundings as she fought to make sense of what was going on until they rested on an equally surprised Fritz.

"I-I-I'm sorry ma'am," he stuttered. Her sudden movement had startled Fritz and he looked down upon her with his eyes wide open as though he were a Deer caught in a car's headlights. "I came to check on Morales and thought you'd fallen asleep by accident."

Kate wiped the sweat and tiredness from her face as she calmed down. Once she got control of her breathing she lifted herself up on to the side of the bunk before standing up on wobbly legs that still pumped full of startled adrenalin. She turned around and saw Morales was still sleeping before asking Fritz, "How's she doing?"

"She'll probably be asleep for a good few hours yet ma'am," explained Fritz. "Are _you_ ok?"

"Yes!" Kate blurted as if she weren't allowed to give any other answer. "Yes, thank you."

"Maybe you should turn in ma'am?" suggested Fritz. Kate just nodded in agreement. With her head still buzzing from the dream she made her way up to the bridge to check on Buffer who had just started his watch. With everything running smoothly, for a change, she took Fritz's advice.

* * *

NAVCOM, CAIRNS  
2355hrs

"You're going to be bouncing off the ceiling when you drink that Lieutenant," joked the young Midshipman to the Lieutenant standing beside him at the coffee pot sitting in the corner of the Operations Room.

Lieutenant Nikki Caetano was making one of her famous cups of 'Navigator brew' that could keep a Narcoleptic Bear from going into hibernation. Nikki just laughed at the young man and said, "As long as it gets me through this shift I don't really care if I do it in front of my computer or on the ceiling."

Nikki Caetano was the scheduled Night Duty Officer this week. Just like at sea where ships have an Officer of the Watch so to did NAVCOM. She walked along the personnel manning their screens arranged in an oval shape in the centre of the cavernous room and glanced down quickly on each of them as she went. She didn't mind her new shore posting although she missed being at sea and in the thick of the action. It just wasn't quite the same at NAVCOM. Although she knew it was cliched she described her new job to her friends and family as 'like one big video game'.

"Lieutenant!" called Midshipman Watts from the far end of the room. She walked up to him and saw that he was still on the phone. She waited until he hung up before asking, "What is it?"

"Coast Watch have been conducting radar sweeps from the last known position of the vessel that attacked that FFV earlier today and they think they may have found it. They've recommended that one of our patrol boats check it out," he reported.

"What's our nearest asset?" asked Nikki standing well back from the Midshipman and his computer knowing full well what kind of grilling she would get from Marshall in the morning if he found out that one of their PCs had gotten a coffee shower during the night.

Midshipman Watts looked back at his screen before answering, "Nearest asset is HMAS Amberley. They're a good sixty five miles south of the suspect vessel. Would you like me to task them?"

"Not yet!" said Nikki smiling as she thought about her former shipmates aboard that particular boat. "We cant board an Australian flagged vessel without a warrant unless there's a direct threat to life. Get on to the Feds and have them chase it up with a Magistrate! In the meantime I'll give the crew of the Amberley a heads up!"

* * *

HMAS Amberley  
0010hrs - Mid Watch

It was a crystal clear night as the Amberley continued her patrol. Buffer was on the bridge as he worked through his watch. This was the closest he thought he would ever come to commanding his own boat. He had to admit that he liked the feeling but knew he wasn't cut out to be an officer. In Army jargon he knew he was born-and-bred 'grunt' down in the dirt with the troops.

The satphone at the rear of the bridge began to ring with it's high pitched wail that seemed to stab Buffer in the side of the head. As he walked up to it he mused that the manufacturer deliberately made the sound so annoying to make sure that you answered it. _Who could ignore that noise? _He picked it up and held it to his head and said, "HMAS Amberley, Petty Officer Tomaszewski!"

"Hello Petty Officer Tomaszewski" replied the rather chirpy young woman's voice on the other end of the line.

"Nikki?" said Buffer grinning before realising he had caught the attention of Able Seaman Andrews, another Kingston crewmember, who was manning the helm. Buffer indicated to him to turn back around in such a way that implied he would be keelhauled if he didn't!

"Hi Pete!" said Nikki. "How's it going out there? Still keeping everyone in line?"

"Of course ma'am," replied Buffer. "You know me!"

"I read on the daily reports that you've been having some trouble with the old boat?"

"It's just like my first car ma'am," explained Buffer. "Lot's of..._character._"

Buffer and Nikki made small talk, as much as either could get away with anyway, before turning their attention to official Navy business. Nikki told him about the suspect vessel and that they were waiting for a warrant from a Magistrate to search it for weapons. They were about to say good bye when Buffer suddenly remembered the letter in the CO's safe. The troubles for Kate seemed to have begun with it's discovery?

"Before you go Lieutenant," he said lowering his voice so Andrews couldn't hear him. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor? You see, we don't have wireless internet and..."

"I'm not reading any of your dirty e-mails for you!" joked Nikki who followed up the remark with a chuckle. Although no one else knew what they were talking about Buffer couldn't help but turn slightly red.

"No nothing like that ma'am," he replied. "Do you think that, when you have a spare moment of course, you could go on the net and just look in to Amberley's career when it was still with the US Coast Guard?"

"Sure!" said Nikki before asking, "anything in particular?"

"Uh...No, not really. I just want to lay some...ghosts to rest," grinned Buffer enjoying a private joke.

"You got it," she said chirpily. "Anything else Pete?"

"No ma'am. Thank you!"

"Not a problem. Give everyone my best," said Nikki. "NAVCOM out," and with that she hung up.

Buffer replaced the phone on to the mount on the wall and returned to the front of the bridge to look out at the beautiful night on the Arafura Sea. The calmness of the night stood in sharp contrast to the unease he was feeling at asking Nikki for that favor. As he stood there gazing into the night he wondered if he had just opened a can of worms that should have been left alone?


	11. Observations

0910hrs - FORENOON WATCH

Morales opened her eyes very gently. Even in the dim light they ached in such a manner as though she were staring at the sun. With her eyes nothing but a blur she had to rely on her other senses to figure out what was going on. She knew she was laying down on a bed because she could feel the padding of the mattress underneath her back. She also knew she was still aboard Amberley as she could feel the gentle rocking of the ship coupled with the low hum of the nearby engine room.

She tried lifting her head up off the pillow but in her dazed and confused state it stubbornly refused to lift up for more than a second or two. Over the sound of the engine she could hear a low muttering that she figured to be the sound of two voices talking. She tried to call out for help but could only produce a low moan.

A figure appeared in front of her. Suddenly the memory of what had happened in the galley came flooding back and she felt her heart jolt as though it's gentle beating had turned in to a hammering. Still dazed and confused she tried to move away from it but her tired arms and legs refused to budge.

"Shhhhh!" cooed a voice softly as she felt a cool towel press against her forehead. "Daniella, can you hear me?" The voice seemed familiar somehow and she had to reach in to the very back of her mind before she realised who it was but before she could acknowledge the question the voice said, "Daniella it's 'Fritz'. Do you know where you are?"

"Mmmmm y-yes," was all she could mumble softly. She struggled to utter the word 'Amberley' but nonetheless she got it out clearly enough to be understood.

"Thatta girl!" said 'Fritz' as he continued to wipe the sweat from her face.

"Will she be ok?" asked another voice. This one was again a man's voice but a little deeper than 'Fritz's who maintained a rather youthful tone.

"Yes sir," replied 'Fritz' to the XO Lt. Satchwell who stood just behind him. "She received a pretty hefty dose in order to calm her down so she is going to be quite groggy for a bit. Right now she's nursing one of the worst hangovers of her life." Both 'Fritz' and Satchwell shared a grin as if to silently tell one another that they both knew what that was like. Morales could do little except lay there while she listened to them talking. Although she was now more awake she was fighting to concentrate on any one thing at a time.

"Right then," said Satchwell before adding, "we have just received confirmation of a warrant being issued to stop and search a fishing vessel believed to have weapons on board. We are enroute to intercept it. ETA is about 1330hrs. The CO wants to have an update on Morales' condition."

"Oh sir I don't think she is going on any boarding party today," laughed 'Fritz' almost condecendingly. Morales didn't like being talked about in such a way but in her almost eneburated state there was little she could do about it.

"I thought as much," said Satchwell. "We could use you on it though. Is she going to be ok on her own for a bit?"

"Should be sir," replied 'Fritz'.

"Alright then, briefing at 1120 in the galley," and with that Satchwell turned to leave.

"Who'll be giving it sir?" asked 'Fritz'. The question stopped Satchwell in his tracks as if to emphasise the oddity of the question. Surely it was obvious who would be giving it?

"Me and the boss of course. Why?" 'Fritz' didn't immediately answer but instead grinned enough for Satchwell to notice but not enough to over emphasise it.

"Nothing sir," lied 'Fritz' rather obviously. Although Satchwell knew that 'Fritz' was just being his usual trouble making self he felt compelled to follow up on his remark. He folded his arms and sighed in a rather annoyed fashion as if to silently demand an explanation. "Well sir...Permission to voice an observation?"

"You're going to anyway so just do it!" said Satchwell through gritted teeth.

"Well sir it just seems to me that she relies on the Buffer a little more than..." 'Fritz' was positively itching to smirk at the sound of his own words. He had intended to mention this as a bit of a joke but Satchwell looked absolutely livid.

"Go on!" demanded Satchwell.

"Well sir," continued 'Fritz' as he found himself backed in to a corner. 'Fritz' stepped away from Morales and lowered his voice so no one else could accidentally overhear their conversation. "It seems to me like those two cut you out of a lot of stuff that goes on. I mean, your the XO and yet her and Buffer seemed to come down on you as well as us over what happened with-"

"That's enough!" interjected Satchwell firmly. 'Fritz' found himself completely cut off and knew there was no point in continuing as he listened to Satchwell go on. "I am sick to death of this whole 'them and us' attitude on this boat. Regardless of which ship we all came from we are now on HMAS Amberley. This is _our _ship. Clear?"

"Yes sir!" replied 'Fritz' as Satchwell turned away. As he watched his XO walk through the hatch that lead to the main stairwell 'Fritz' couldn't help but think of him as being too weak to want to do anything about it. If Satchwell wanted his respect from now on he was going to have to earn it.

* * *

Nikki Caetano had made a point not to sleep in that day after completing her night shift at NAVCOM. She had the following night off and knew that if she stayed in bed too long in the morning then she would not be able to sleep the following night. Thus, as her alarm beeped that it was midday, she rather angrily punched down on the snooze button and fell back to sleep. A short while later it beeped once more and she looked up at it before uttering words that were hardly the mark of a Naval officer.

A cool shower and a mug of coffee later she found herself curled up on the sofa in her living room watching the lunch time news. Although her eyes stared blankly at the screen her thoughts lingered on the emptiness of the room. Her home was well decorated and maintained but the size was barely enough for one person to live in. Nevertheless she felt as though she may as well have been sitting in an immense hall for the room was missing something. Her eyes crossed over to a photograph that sat on the desk next to her personal computer. She clambered off the sofa and went over to look at it.

Holding it in her hands she stared down at the last official photograph of the crew of the Fremantle-class HMAS Hammersley. Her eyes run around all the faces as she remembered each of them fondly most of whom she was still in contact with except for the odd one or two. Going along the back row of people mustered around the Bofors gun that was mounted on the foredeck she spotted someone she hadn't seen for two years and the sight of him was immediately followed by the memory of early morning breakfast at sea.

"Cheffo!" she uttered smiling nostalgically. After the decommissioning of the Fremantle-class HMAS Hammersley Able Seaman Toby 'Cheffo' Jones had been transferred to the frigate HMAS Arunta. She had kept in touch with him through E-mail and on Facebook but it wasn't the same.

Holding the photograph she knew why she had picked it up and that she was deliberately avoiding looking at a certain person. This was a ritual she had been going through ever since that day when her world turned upside down. She took in a deep breath as she almost had to dare herself to look at the man on the bottom right of the photograph. There he was in his smart Navy 'whites' smiling as though he were standing beside her. She tenderly placed her fingertips on the picture of Josh 'ET' Holiday. Ever since his murder she had found each day a struggle. It helped when she was at sea since she could bury herself in her work but now that she had the regularity of a shore posting she had got in to a routine that had inadvertently allowed her time every day to dwell on his death.

After looking at 'ET' for a minute or two her eyes turned to the man standing beside him and saw Buffer with his stone cold exterior that hid his 'big softy' side as she called it. Suddenly she remembered Pete's request from when they had spoke the night before. She had been too busy at NAVCOM afterward and so she decided she would honor his request now. Part of her knew that she was using it as an excuse for something to do but another part of her believed that she was doing it for her friend and so she switched on her computer and got to work.

Once online she accessed a search engine and typed the words 'HMAS Amberley' in to the text box before selecting 'SEARCH'. A short while later a list of the websites with 'HMAS' or 'AMBERLEY' appeared. The first one was a link to the Royal Australian Navy's own website and she decided to check there first. There was a small article describing the ship and mentioning that it was on loan from the reserve fleet of the U.S. Coast Guard but didn't mention it's former name. She returned to the results page and looked again but to no avail. Of all the references to the HMAS Amberley none mentioned her previous identity.

She thought for a moment and then decided to try the search from a different angle. She began a search for a list of ships transferred to the RAN. from the USCG. This proved more successful and she began to read an article on a website belonging to a British Naval magazine outlining the transfer of three U.S. Coast Guard vessels to Australia but again rather infuriatingly it didn't mention which ship was renamed what? She clicked on the link to view each of the three vessels. Two were the same class of Coast Guard Cutter but the third was a little different. She minimised the screen and opened another search engine to look for a picture of HMAS Amberley for comparison.

"Bingo!" she blurted out in delight as she identified Amberley in her USCG colours as USCGS Chocktaw named after a Native American tribe. The USCGS Chocktaw had undergone an extensive refit three years before budget cuts forced the U.S. Coast Guard to put her in reserve. The refit had lengthened the vessel compared to the other two of the same classand this was how she had identified it.

Now that she knew what she was looking for she began a search for any information relating to the history of the USCGS Choctaw. At first the search produced the usual results describing the vessel and it's equipment but very little on her service history but it was not long before she was confronted by a list of news articles relating to two incidents near the end of it's service life. She selected the article offered by a website she recognised as belonging to CNN and read on;

_January 23rd 1995  
Coast Guard Collision in the Atlantic Ocean  
_

_The United States Coast Guard is launching an investigation in to how one of their Cutters, the USCGS Chocktaw, managed to collide with a Haiti registered fishing vessel killing up to four out of five members of a family who were aboard the small craft. The collision happened at approximately 0430hrs on the morning of January 21st during a routine anti-drug trafficking patrol fifty eight nautical miles off the northern coast of Haiti. At the present time the Coast Guard is unwilling to make a statement on the incident but a spokesperson said that 'all factors were being considered'. _

After reading several additional articles it was not long before she discovered that the U.S. Coast Guard inquiry had put the blame firmly on the people aboard the fishing boat much to the dismay of the only survivor of the tragedy, the eldest son of the family, who had to be removed from the courtroom as the verdict was read out. What he said was not recorded but witnesses said that the rage in his voice as he was dragged from the room by the guards was such that it left several people unnerved.

Nikki went in to the kitchen to make another cup of coffee before continuing her investigation leaving the computer on the results page of her search. She stirred her beverage with a small silver teaspoon before dropping it on to the counter. She leaned back against the wooden kitchen fittings as she blowed gently in to her mug to cool its contents down all the while her mind thinking of the tragic incident that befell the USCGS Chocktaw. She couldn't imagine how she would feel under similar circumstances and yet at the same time it bothered her that the Board of Inquiry seemed to put full blame on the people on the fishing boat. Having spent most of her career on patrol boats she knew that it surely wasn't as simple as a couple of bad seaman in control of a boat. A good patrol boat crew would accommodate such a vessel by keeping its distance and using its own RHIBs to approach it. This was standard practice for patrol boats the world over and especially for Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and the United States since the four Navies were so used to operating together that their practices had become almost universal. _No, someone dropped the ball and they covered it up!_

As she returned to her computer to continue her investigation she suddenly gazed at the screen with confusion.

"That's odd!" she uttered. She could have sworn she had left the screen on the results page but instead she found it on another article dated several months after the collision. The title caught her complete attention and she read on with curiosity.


	12. The Coral Dawn

HMAS AMBERLEY - 1315hrs  
INTERCEPTING FISHING VESSEL 'CORAL DAWN'

Kate peered through the binoculars at the vessel on their starboard side and confirmed that it was the same one they had been tasked to intercept. With its fishing lines in the water the Captain of the Coral Dawn had been forced to maintained a speed of five knots and thus made easy prey for the Amberley to catch up with. Keeping a safe distance from the aft of the fishing vessel in order to avoid getting caught up in the trailing nets Kate could make out the crew as blurry dots walking on deck. At least once she could have sworn that it appeared as though they were throwing packages overboard on the opposite side of the ship but from this distance it was impossible to be sure.

"If only we had an EOD," she muttered to Satchwell who was standing beside her on the bridge. It was at times like this she came to realise the advantages of the Armidale-class over these older boats. She thought of all of the advantages the Electro-Optical Device had and how a recording from such equipment would help in achieving a conviction if the case was ever brought to court. "Still, no use crying about it. Hail them Ex!"

"Yes ma'am," replied Satchwell as he picked up the radio microphone hanging by a chord from the ceiling. "Attention Coral Dawn this is Australian warship. Stop or heave to! I intend to board you in order to conduct a search of your vessel as per a legal warrant issued on this date." There was a short silence before a rather angry response garbled over the radio channel.

"You have no right! We have done nothing wrong! Why don't you do your jobs and go after those bloody pirates who come down here stealing our fish. You have no right! No right!"

"That's what he thinks!" chuckled Buffer who stood just behind the CO's chair to watch as the events unfolded.

"Hail them again Ex," ordered Kate. Satchwell repeated the order over the radio and again the speakers crackled with an angry fisherman's voice. Kate then turned to Buffer who, as well as Satchwell, were already in his boarding party guise since Kate had ordered them to make ready before they intercepted the Coral Dawn in order to reduce the chances of the fisherman throwing any evidence overboard although silently she suspected that it was still too late. "Buffer, are we ready?"

"Just waiting for the word ma'am," replied Buffer. Satchwell's eyes glanced sideways as Kate spoke with Buffer regarding the condition of the boarding party. Although he had tried to ignore Fritz's little comment down in the crew quarters he couldn't help but pick up on the fact that he was just as aware of the condition of the boarding party as Buffer and as the Executive Officer she should ask him. Nonetheless he stayed silent as Kate added, "Alright they're refusing to stop therefore we are going to have to take them. Break out the Steyrs for the boarding party and have a gun crew manning the fifty calibre. Let's make sure these idiots know they're dealing with the Navy and not some Traffic Warden at sea."

"Yes ma'am," laughed Buffer thinking that her little joke was something he would usually come up with. As Buffer turned to leave, Satchwell followed behind him and immediately felt as though he was simply 'tagging along' for the ride and it was really Buffer who was calling the shots. Part of him thought he was reading too much into the whole thing and that was probably what Fritz had in mind when he said those things to him but he couldn't help the nagging feeling that there was more to it than that. As he watched Buffer issue the assault rifles to the boarding party he couldn't help but feel subordinate to him and this annoyed him somewhat. It was not uncommon for many people to feel subordinate to Buffer Tomaszewski for he was quite a domineering figure. Satchwell was no weakling but his build was more conservative than Buffer's and it exacerbated the innate primal feeling of him not being the alpha male that his position requires.

The boarding party made their way to the boat deck where Charge had already put the boat into the water much to his own relief. Although the problem hadn't returned in the three days since the incident with the FFV Charge had become almost a bag of nerves during every launch of the RHIB since. As Satchwell climbed down the cargo netting to board the RHIB that sat bobbing up and down in the wake of the ship Kates' voice crackled in his head set.

"X-ray nine-seven this is Charlie nine-seven over!"

After he had positioned himself securely in the RHIB alongside Spider who was manning the wheel and Seaman Jason Rawlings, another Hammersley crewman, Satchwell squeezed the transmit button and acknowledged his CO. She continued, "We can see at least five crewmembers aboard Coral Dawn."

"Roger that Charlie nine-seven. Five persons onboard!" Buffer was the last one in the boat and with everything secure and ready Charge bellowed, "Carry on the sea boat!"

Spider nodded at Charge before throttling up and pulling away from the Amberley that was positively crawling in order to maintain its position alongside the Coral Dawn. The short ride in a high speed RHIB to another vessel is rarely a comfortable one and the six crewmembers aboard felt themselves being thumped in their bottoms as it hit the waves.

"Keep us clear of their nets Spider!" advised Buffer as he noticed that they were drifting in towards the rear of the vessel.

"Sorry Buff!" replied Spider as he altered course.

"Now remember everybody," roared Buffer over the sound of the noisy outboard engine. "They've refused to stop so our pri-"

"Buff!" Satchwell immediately cut Buffer off in order for him, at least in his own mind, to confirm his authority over the boarding. Slightly annoyed, Buffer nevertheless submitted to his superior officer's interruption as they rapidly approached the Coral Dawn's port side. "Our primary aim is to quickly take control of the vessel. Buffer! Fritz! Head straight for the wheelhouse! The rest of you secure the crew on deck. Now remember these guys have used small arms on an FFV crew. They have demonstrated a willingness to use deadly force and they may not hesitate to do it again so watch yourselves. Any questions?"

There was a mixed response from the boarding party, all of whom were now sensing some hostility between Satchwell and Buffer although only Fritz knew why and he fought to subdue a desperate smirk as if pleased with his work. Nobody had any questions and soon the RHIB had pulled up alongside the Coral Dawn. A rather burly looking fisherman came rushing to the side of the vessel and peered over at the Navy personnel in the RHIB that was bumping up against the hull. To everyones sudden surprise Satchwell drew his Steyr and aimed it squarely at the fisherman.

"Get your hands in the air!" demanded Satchwell. "Now!"

The terrified fisherman, whom until that moment had never had a gun aimed at him in his life, froze with his hands clutching the side. Buffer could see this and that he posed no immediate threat but Satchwell was acting like they had just been confronted by a suicide bomber! In the heat of the moment Rawlings went to follow his XO' s lead but something kept him from raising his weapon as his eyes looked to Buffer for support. A second crewman from the Coral Dawn appeared and fearing a potential tragedy Buffer stood up in the RHIB and held out his hands firmly before ordering them to step back. The second fisherman helped lift the first's terrified hands off the railing and lead him back away as the Navy personnel boarded the vessel.

Once onboard Satchwell pulled on Buffer's left arm to get his attention as he said rather bitterly, "You and Fritz secure the bridge!" As calmly as he could Buffer removed his arm from Satchwell's grasp before calling out to Fritz to follow him. Four of the crewmembers of the Coral Dawn were already mustered on the rear deck and Buffer could see a fifth still in the wheelhouse. With his Steyr slewn under his arm so as not to appear intimidating but to still have the weapon in reach Buffer operned the door to find the man still at the wheel of the ship without taking a blind bit of notice of the two armed sailors who had just entered his bridge.

"Sir could you step over here please!" demanded Buffer firmly. The man, a rather scruffy looking sort in his late thirties with a face that betrayed at least five days without shaving, looked at Buffer before standing up in an almost uninterested fashion. "Sir are you the master of this vessel?"

"I am," he replied in quite an aggravated but lazy tone. "The name's Adler. Gary Adler."

"Sir I'm going to need you to muster on the rear deck with the rest of your crew," explained Buffer.

"Do I have a choice?" asked the man.

"Afraid not sir!" replied Buffer much to the glee of Fritz. Adler sighed loudly before starting his way passed them to head down to the rear where Satchwell was rather impatiently trying to get the Coral Dawn's crew to line up for questioning. "Fritz, take the wheel!" Buffer watched as Adler climbed the steep set of steps down to the rear from the bridge to confront Satchwell who seemed to resemble a member of the Gestapo at this point.

Watching him speaking with Adler Buffer was at a loss to explain this sudden change in behaviour on the part of the Executive Officer. While Buffer wouldn't have called Satchwell a friend exactly he had believed they had struck up an amicable relationship and so it came as a sudden surprise to find himself feeling quite cold about the man and judging by his performance as they approached the Coral Dawn Buffer even began to question Satchwell's competence!

He turned to check on Fritz who was now manning the wheel when he stopped suddenly as he heard a short metallic ringing sound emanating from the floor. He looked down and noticed he had inadvertantly kicked something behind the leg of a table that had navigational charts placed on top of it. Curious, Buffer reached down behind the tables' legs with his hand a felt a small cyclindrical object on his fingertips. He squeezed it tightly in order to pick it up and as his hand emerged from behind the table he found he was holding on to an expended shotgun cartridge.

"Paydirt!" said Fritz who had turned to see what Buffer was doing.

Buffer took the cartridge with him as he made his way back to the rear of the vessel and found Adler and Satchwell in the midst of a rather heated debate. Adler was proclaiming the innocence of his crew at the top of his lungs while Satchwell continued to try to serve the search warrant to him and make sure Adler understood that one way or the other he was facing criminal charges for refusing to stop his vessel when ordered to. This only served to further enrage Adler who felt as though he was being persecuted by the Navy.

"Excuse me sir!" said Buffer approaching them with the cartridge in his hand. "I found this on the bridge."

Adler stood speechless as Buffer held the cartridge out in front of him in a questioning manner. Adler's mind raced to come up with an explanation and the look Buffer had almost dared him to attempt to accuse them of planting it there. He suddenly exhaled as he knew his situation was hopeless but instead of the rant that everyone expected Adler simply said mournfully, "What were we suppose to do?"

That was it. They had effectively been given their confession. This should have been a triumphant moment for the boarding party but everywhere there was a cold feeling that something was wrong and it was emanating from Buffer and Satchwell.

* * *

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone who has taken the time to read my story. Thank you!**

**- Tony Wilkins (The Wilky Bar Kid)**


	13. Revelations

1405hrs

Kate was positively beaming as she stood on the bridge of HMAS Amberley watching the RHIB returning from the Coral Dawn now positioned alongside the Royal Australian Navy patrol boat. The Coral Dawn's fishing lines had been pulled out of the water and stowed aboard as it made ready to sail back to Cairns with a steaming party from the Australian warship. It was a welcome relief for Kate, after the bad luck of the first three days at sea, to have something positive to report. They had indeed come up trumps with the Coral Dawn even though the crew had thrown their weapons overboard at the sight of the Amberley charging towards them. Further inspection of the vessel revealed additional fired shotgun cartridges and even one or two unfired ones. Forensic analysis of the fired cartridges would be able to determine conclusively that the crew of the Coral Dawn opened fire on the FFV. Although they had a partial confession from the ship's master, confessions often become confused or even ignored once the case is brought to court and Lawyers get involved hence the need to preserve the conditions aboard the boat for investigation by law enforcement personnel back at port.

Commander Marshall was particularly pleased with the result since NAVCOM had been dealing with several other instances of Australian fishing vessels taking matters into their own hands. He hoped to make an example of the crew of the Coral Dawn in order to discourage further incidents and also to restore the confidence of the Australian fishing fleet in their Navy to police the Economic Exclusion Zone effectively. In all honesty most of Amberley's crew sympathised with the fishermen. They were simply trying to protect what was theirs by law and the scandal of the Armidale-class boats being faulty made many crews feel that they were on their own. Nevertheless the Navy personnel performed their duties objectively knowing that no matter what justification is argued a private citizen cannot take the law into their own hands.

As she watched the RHIB come alongside she began to think about their next move. When she had reported the results of the interception to Marshall he ordered a steaming party to take the Coral Dawn back to Cairns since there wasn't a customs or Australian Federal Police vessel in the area that could take it back for them. In ideal conditions Amberley would escort the ship back but Marshall wanted the patrol boat to stay on station. There was still much to be done and the patrol boat force was still undermanned until the Armidales returned to sea.

"Ok team," she announced to the bridge crew. "As soon as our RHIB is back aboard we will resume our patrol. Navigator, plot a new patrol pattern taking into consideration the time we've lost with the Coral Dawn."

"Yes ma'am," replied Ensign Taylor before carrying out his order. Kate returned her gaze back through the rear facing windows of the bridge near Taylor's charts table and watched as the RHIB was winched out of the water. Spider was still sitting at the wheel with a second occupant in the front who was removing his helmet. To her surprise she saw the shaved head of Buffer appear from underneath the grey 'brain bucket'. She was surprised because she expected Satchwell to keep Buffer with him on the Coral Dawn. He was an experienced sailor and a good person to have around should the fishermen give any trouble.

"Charlie nine-seven this is X-ray nine-seven," crackled Satchwell's voice over the radio. Kate picked up the radio and acknowledged the transmission. "Yea we're ready over here to begin making our way to Cairns."

"Very well," said Kate in response. "Safe journey X-ray nine-seven. Amberley out."

* * *

Lieutenant Matt Satchwell stood on the rear deck of the Coral Dawn as the fishing vessel began to pull away from HMAS Amberley. He watched with almost envious eyes as he faced the prospect of spending almost a whole day aboard the fishing vessel as it made its way to Cairns. He didn't feel right being off the Amberley. He felt as though he belonged onboard the warship and his spirits drooped as it began to turn north like a loved one was going away. He tried to comfort himself with the fact that he was in total command of the Coral Dawn now that it was in the custody of the Navy and he wouldn't have Buffer undermining his authority.

It had all become so clear to Satchwell over the last few hours. So clear in fact that he wondered how he hadn't seen it earlier. Buffer was whispering things about him in Kate McGregor's ear so that she had more confidence in Buffer than her own XO. A deep conspiracy regarding Buffer Tomaszewski and Kate McGregor was forming in his head. He began to mentally note all the times the three of them were together and interpreted even the smallest gestures between the two of them as being against his position. He came to the conclusion that they didn't want their XO to come from the Kingston and would rather have someone from Hammersley. Both crews were quite tightly knit together and tensions between the two had been boiling over ever since the crane malfunction. Accusations had been thrown around on several occasions thus further sowing the seeds of discontent among the more 'fired up' members of each crew. Satchwell wondered just what was going into McGregor's logbook regarding the streak of bad luck that had befallen them over the previous few days and he thought that maybe it would be a good idea to put his own report into NAVCOM to make sure he got his side of the story across. As XO he was well within his right to do so.

Satchwell leaned over the handrail of the Coral Dawn and stared into the ocean as his mind played out dozens of scenarios regarding Buffer and Kate and felt bitter anger towards both of them. He felt he didn't deserve to be treated like this. He was a good officer and he had hoped that Amberley would have been his command. He knew Kate had served under Mike Flynn aboard Hammersley and that Flynn was a favourite of Commander Marshall. No doubt command of Amberley had been stolen from him by favouritism within the system. It just wasn't fair.

Had Satchwell looked up at that point he would have noticed that he had become the focus of attention for a crewman standing at the rear of the departing HMAS Amberley. The rest of the Amberley's crew walked back and fore the deck as they carried on with their usual duties, each one of them apparently oblivious to his presence. From this range it was almost impossible to distinguish his features except for his rather pale coloured skin. The man stood still and firm never breaking his gaze upon Satchwell as the two ships cruised further apart all the while not really interacting with the Amberley crew or obstructing them either. It was as if he was detached from the goings on around him. He stayed there until both ships were out of sight of one another.

* * *

Animosity is seldom limited to just one person. Buffer's helmet made a rather loud thudding sound as it slammed onto the shelf inside his locker. Both he and Spider were changing out of their gear after safely securing the RHIB on deck and it wouldn't have taken a psychologist long to figure out that Buffer was wound up about something. Spider had seen this kind of frustration before and knew from experience that it was best to stay out of the way. He continued to remove his own equipment as quietly as possible in an effort not to attract Buffer's attention for fear of having his head removed from his neck but the silence was interrupted shortly after by a gentle knocking on the hatch and both of them turned to find Kate standing in the doorway.

"Hi guys," she said chirpily. "Just wanted to come down and congratulate you both on a job well done."

"Thank you ma'am," replied Spider who was glad to have the air in the room lifted by the arrival of the Commanding Officer.

"Thanks boss," added Buffer in a tone that betrayed his frustration. Kate picked up on it and waited for Spider to leave the room before asking, "Something wrong Buff?"

"No ma'am," said Buffer, his eyes looking away momentarily as he answered the rather awkward question. As his eyes returned to hers he knew she wasn't convinced and felt compelled to add, "Not exactly. It's nothing, honest ma'am."

"Well it's obviously something," said Kate. "You look like you are ready to break someone's skull open with your bare hands. As CO I can't afford to let that happen. Not until we get to shore anyway." Kate's words broke through his tough veneer and the two of them shared a grin.

"It's nothing I can't handle ma'am," continued Buffer whose tone had lightened.

"Has this got anything to do with Lt Satchwell by any chance?" asked Kate remembering her own surprise at having Buffer return to the ship rather than remain with the steaming party chosen by her XO. Buffer tried not to flinch in a vain effort to hide the truth but his silence only served to confirm Kate's suspicion. Kate's friendly persona evaporated and Buffer found himself in front of his Commanding Officer as opposed to his friend of three years. "Get yourself sorted and meet me in my cabin in half an hour!"

"I said it's nothing I can't handle boss," protested Buffer.

Kate looked firm as she answered, "Oh that wasn't a suggestion Buff. Half an hour. My cabin."

Buffer found himself with nothing left to say except, "Yes ma'am."

The half hour passed in no time at all and as ordered he stood before his CO in her quarters. When he arrived she was sitting at her desk busily writing away inside the log book regarding the events of the day. The euphoria she had experienced earlier had diminished after finding out there was a problem between Buffer and Satchwell. After leaving Buffer to finish getting changed she had caught up with Spider and he told her what happened in the RHIB on the way over to the Coral Dawn. She was angry that the ship's shining moment thus far had now been tainted by this incident and the fact that it was the XO and Buffer involved hurt her deeply for it reflected a breakdown in the chain of command aboard her ship.

"Close the door please," she said to him wanting privacy during their meeting. Buffer obliged and then turned back to face her once more all the while bracing himself for what he knew was coming. "We've served together for three years now Buff. So you should know by now that I'm not going to dance around the subject. I've spoken with Spider and I know all about what happened between you and the XO aboard the RHIB. Now rest assured I will be speaking with Lieutenant Satchwell regarding the matter when he returns to the ship but first I want to hear it from you."

"I don't know what to tell you ma'am," replied Buffer.

"I'm afraid that's not a good enough answer," said Kate getting a little annoyed at Buffer's lack of cooperation. "You two are my most experienced sailors and I've come to rely heavily on you. Now something premeditated this. Satchwell wouldn't just turn cold against you, especially in front of the crew, without good reason. Have the two of you had words?"

"No ma'am," replied Buffer.

"Well then what is it? Buffer I shouldn't have to tell you of all people but this isn't some bar room where the two of you can sort it out with a punch up. This is the Navy!"

There was a short silence before Buffer asked, "Permission to speak freely ma'am?" to which Kate nodded and so Buffer continued, "Ma'am I'm not trying to hide anything from you. I can't give you an answer because I simply don't have one. One minute me and the XO were completely amicable and the next... It was like somebody flicked a switch. Then there was what happened when we approached the Coral Dawn. I honestly thought he was going to kill that guy! Ok he shouldn't have come running up to us like that but the way the XO reacted was frankly shocking."

"Spider did mention that too," added Kate. "Like I said I do intend to bring it up with him when he gets back. I'm all for my crewmembers being diligent but the way Spider described what happened it seems that he did go a bit far." Kate looked up at Buffer standing before her. He looked so uncomfortable in this formal setting with her and talking about another officer in such a negative way. "Sit down Pete. Relax a bit."

Buffer gladly obliged as he sat on the second chair leaning up against the side of the desk. This more informal format helped ease both of them and gave them a chance to re-evaluate the whole discussion. It took a few moments before Kate placed her right elbow on the desk and rested her head on top of her clenched fist before saying, "The Amberley has had a difficult birth. Satchwell is probably just venting."

"I don't know ma'am," said Buffer not completely convinced. "It seemed a bit more than that to me. So what are you going to do Kate, uh, ma'am?" Buffer caught himself completely off guard by how easily he had said her first name instead of 'ma'am' or just simply 'boss'. It was surprising to both of them how comfortable they had become around each other even more so since they had left Hammersley. Kate grinned momentarily as she chose to ignore his slip of the tongue.

"I don't know," replied Kate. "I think we should leave it for now. Let's just see how it all plays out shall we?" Buffer agreed with a gentle nod of the head. The atmosphere between the two of them warmed up to an almost best friend quality and this made it easier for Kate to ask a question that had been on her mind ever since Morales had tried to jump overboard. "Pete can I ask you something? A personal question. If you don't want to answer its fine I promise."

"Sure," he replied.

"Yesterday when you were trying to get Morales back over the handrail you said something to her. I only caught a bit of it. You said something about understanding what she was going through? That you had been there yourself. Is that true?" There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Kate immediately thought she had gone too far and quickly recoiled but Buffer insisted it was ok. It was a tender moment between them as they shared a long gaze at one another.

"I've been where Morales is," said Buffer. "I grew up in a very close family and so when I joined the Navy at seventeen and got posted aboard the Melbourne I felt more alone than I ever have in my life. It was a shock to my system and I just couldn't get my head around it. One night we were sailing around New Guinea and all I wanted to do was get away. I didn't care how and so..." Buffer paused to take a deep breath to help him continue. Kate listened patiently almost sorry she had asked this question as it was clearly a distressing topic for him. "I just started climbing the handrail and before I knew it I was getting ready to jump. I didn't know what I was trying to accomplish. I just had to get away."

"My God!" gasped Kate at the painful image she had of her close friend trying to commit suicide. "What happened?"

"My divisional officer found me and pulled me back across. It was only then I realised what I was doing. I guess that's why I like patrol boats so much. There's more of a sense of family onboard. You seem surprised?"

"I am," she replied. "I just can't picture you as vulnerable as that."

"We're only human Kate," he said without correcting himself for using her first name. "But don't worry that was a long time ago. I'm not planning on going for an unauthorised swim anytime soon."

She smiled at his wit before softly saying, "I'm glad to hear it. Why don't you get some SCRAN down you? Might make you feel better about this whole thing with Satchwell."

"Yes ma'am," said Buffer as he got upto leave although in truth he was now feeling a whole lot better having spent this private moment with Kate. It was not often he opened up about his feelings to other people especially regarding that point in his life but he felt so comfortable talking to her about it. It was a strange experience for Buffer but a nice one.


	14. The Approaching Storm

CORAL DAWN STEAMING PARTY  
1742hrs

The fishing vessel Coral Dawn sailed south across the Arafura Sea under a sky of grey and white. All who were sailing onboard the commandeered ship had noticed an increase in the rocking of the vessel as the weather slowly deteriorated. Satchwell sat down in the cabin with Rawlings along with the entire crew of the vessel. The cabin itself was a cramped and quite confined space below the wheelhouse where Fritz was piloting the vessel. Barely an inch of the walls around them wasn't covered with a cupboard or a shelf in order to make the absolute most of every bit of space.

Rawlings rarely took his eyes off the five man fishing crew as they sat along the table that dominated the centre of the room in order to watch the television having little else to do. Rawlings hadn't been on patrol boats for very long having only recently transferred from a Frigate to Hammersley before the patrol boat was confined to port to undergo the necessary modifications to allow it to safely return to sea once more. A short lived joke amongst the Hammersley crew had Rawlings down as a jinx or 'Jonah' referring to the biblical sea story since the Hammersley couldn't safely go out to sea once he had come aboard.

Sitting on the far side of the table with Satchwell there was definitely a strong feeling of division in the room. There was a confrontational atmosphere between the Navy personnel and the fisherman who felt they were being persecuted by their own government simply for trying to protect what was theirs. Rawlings knew there was no sense trying to explain anything to them. They were angry and who could blame them? Life was tough enough for them without having foreign fishing fleets raiding their stocks but the law is unequivocally the law.

Not used to being a member of a steaming party Rawlings felt distinctly uneasy in the presence of the crew. He tried to comfort himself knowing that Satchwell was an experienced sailor within the patrol boat force but this did little to help since the Amberley's XO was slumped over the table furiously writing something in his notepad. He had been writing for almost thirty minutes or so now and Rawlings had noticed that he wrote with an almost demented fury. Some of the crew of the Coral Dawn had noticed this too and watched with interest as more than one of the pages ripped from his pressing the pen down too hard on the paper. It was not long before Satchwell had reached the end of his own notepad and he turned to face Rawlings.

"Do you have your notepad with you?" The tone of the question was not a pleasant one. On the contrary it left Rawlings with the feeling that he dare not say 'no' even if he genuinely didn't. He reached into his jacket pocket and lifted out his own notepad and handed it to the XO who took it and immediately returned to his frantic writing.

"Anything I can help you with there sir?" asked Rawlings almost having to force open his mouth in order to ask the question. Satchwell didn't answer and so he repeated the offer of assistance. This time the offer succeeded in catching Satchwell's attention.

"No! Just…" Satchwell didn't continue instead waving away the offer before he returned to his writing.

This short and seemingly unimportant event only served to reinforce Rawlings' feelings of unease. At first it felt as though it was a case of his losing confidence in his senior officer but as Satchwell continued writing furiously he came to realize that he had become more weary of Satchwell than the entire five man fishing crew.

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY  
1800hrs

The Amberley had also noticed the increase in the strength of the waves but it wasn't felt as severely as it was aboard the smaller Coral Dawn. Nevertheless, purely as a precautionary measure, Kate had ordered that no one was allowed up on deck until further notice for fear of a sudden wave catching someone off guard.

Kate stood beside Taylor as he updated his charts regarding their position. Although the Amberley had been fitted with a modern Global Positioning System no navigator ever relied solely on the 'gizmo' for navigational data. There was always the possibility of the system malfunctioning or going down due to a power failure and without any reference points out at sea such as land mass or buoy markers it could take hours for a navigator to get his bearings once more. In that time the vessel could have wandered into a major shipping lane and the result would be disastrous. Whenever a navigator takes a reading from the GPS they immediately update the chart and check that the information the system has provided correlates with what they are seeing on the map. Taylor would repeat this process countless times through the day. The bitter reality of daily life aboard a Navy ship was that if you weren't sleeping or eating you were repeating a somewhat tedious routine over and over again.

Taylor briefed Kate on their current position and heading with greater confidence than he had done over the past three days as the mentality of life at sea fully returned to him. Kate too had noticed this new found confidence in him and realized that she was checking his calculations less and less. Except for the situation with Buffer and Satchwell she felt as though things were finally coming right aboard the warship and it was a welcome relief. She knew there were still feelings of division between the two crews but it hadn't manifested itself yet and was not affecting the operation of the vessel.

She thanked Taylor and walked across the bridge to stand near the front row of windows looking ahead of the ship. The sea was now beginning to throw spray over the bow sprinkling the covered over Bofors gun that sat on the foredeck.

"Where did this come from?" she said aloud to herself referring to the change in weather. The question was of course rhetorical and Kate knew by now that the weather at sea can change in the blink of an eye. The last weather report faxed in from Coast Watch's meteorological office had stated a low pressure front coming in from Timor but had expected it to miss this region altogether. Not for the first time did Kate find herself looking at menacing grey clouds that according to the apparent guesswork of some meteorologist who has probably never gone to sea should be somewhere else right now.

"Think we are in for a rough night ma'am?" asked the sailor manning the helm. Able Seaman Thomas Andrews, whose name had been changed in typical patrol boat fashion to Scooter in reference to his preferred mode of transport, was one of the Kingston crew and was particularly proud of it. Although HMAS Amberley baseball hats had been issued a few days before they left Cairns he had kept his Kingston cap on until he was forced to remove it by Buffer.

"Nothing we can't handle Scooter," she replied off handedly before turning away to take her seat in the centre of the bridge. Although it was unintended on her part Scooter mistook the gesture as one of indifference to him and as he sat there manning the helm he began to wonder if Kate was more concerned with Hammersley crewmembers than those of Kingston. _Right on cue _he thought as he saw Buffer walk onto the bridge from the steps behind the CO's chair. "Evening Buffer," said Kate returning her gaze to the sea outside after having looked back to see who was coming on to the bridge.

"Evening ma'am," he acknowledged as he walked up beside her noticing that the light on the bridge had darkened now that the afternoon sun, which still hung quite high over the horizon, had become obscured by cloud.

"Everything ok?" she asked politely wondering why he had come up to the bridge when he wasn't on watch.

"Yes ma'am, just wishing I brought more suntan lotion that's all," he replied. Both Kate and Taylor, who had just caught the remark, grinned at Buffer's dry wit. "Actually there was something I'd like to speak to you about ma'am if I could?" Buffer's voice implied that he wished to speak to her privately and out of the earshot of others. Kate knew that if he wanted to talk privately then there was a genuine reason behind it.

"Navigator," she announced in Taylor's direction. Taylor looked up from his charts and Kate continued, "Take the ship!" Taylor stood smartly as he declared loudly and clearly, "Aye ma'am. On the bridge Navigator has the ship."

Scooter spied them leaving through the corners of his eyes in an effort not to make it obvious that he was watching them. After checking his charts once more Taylor walked over to the radar set that stood on its pedestal on the right hand side of the bridge next to the stairwell that lead down to the radio room. Scooter didn't know what to make of Taylor. He was neither Kingston nor Hammersley crew and to Scooter this was unacceptable. In his mind the lines between the two groups were so well defined that there could be no grey area.

"Those two are quite…cosy don't you think sir?" said Scooter after he was sure he was himself out of earshot of both Buffer and Kate.

"They've served together for over three years and the Hammersley has been through a lot in that time," surmised Taylor indicating that the quite extraordinary events that had occurred on the HMAS Hammersley was bound to create close bonds between those who served onboard her. Having spent his last tour of duty at NAVCOM Taylor had frequently heard the ship being mentioned and, as Commander Marshall had once put it, Hammersley has a nose for finding trouble.

Taylor's apparent praise of the Hammersley did not bode well with Scooter who saw it as his declaration to the 'other side'.

* * *

A radio operator's life aboard ship can be quite a solitary one especially on older vessels such as Amberley where the radio room sat isolated from the bridge in a small compartment just underneath. As with most aspects of the Amberley the radio equipment was a far cry from the Armidale-class with its old fashioned analogue equipment covering the better part of the forward wall. To the untrained eyes this equipment appears to be a mass of dials and gauges but each has a specific function regarding the transmission and receiving of VHF and UHF as well as satellite based communications. This bulk is not necessary on the Armidales were everything is digital and there is one screen to cover all aspects of the communication requirements of the patrol boats but one thing remains the same on every ship - the clock.

Every radio room has a standard wind up analogue clock thus making sure that it works even if the ship loses power. It is distinguishable from all other clocks onboard the ship by a red line that runs through the middle of the face from the number nine to the number three. This red line highlights five minutes on either side of every half hour and these are very important times for a radio operator to be aware of because it is during this time all radio transmissions must, without fail, stop. This is to make sure that any distress calls or beacons are able to be received without disruption from regular transmissions and is internationally recognized as being the standard code of practice amongst ships at sea. Right now the minute hand was just creeping passed the number one indicating that it was five minutes past the hour.

Amberley's RO was Leading Seaman Ralf Palmer, another crewman of the HMAS Kingston but much to the dissatisfaction of his fellow crewmates from 'The King', Ralph didn't see the distinction between the two crews. Even aboard Kingston he had found the competition between the two vessels as a pointless endeavour since both ships were in the same Navy and therefore on the same side. It was an unusual position for a Navy sailor to take since friendly competition amongst vessels is a universal aspect of Navy life. This attitude coupled with his preference to perch himself in the radio room and stay there all day earned him the unflattering nickname of Hermit. This was hardly fair but Ralph cared very little about what the other crew thought of him as he was happy with his own company and to him the only person who truly mattered was his wife, Ellen, who was waiting for him back at their home in Cairns. He kept a picture of her on his workstation at all times to remind him of what was waiting for him when he returned home. It was as he took a moment to look up from his paperwork to gaze into her deep green eyes that the radio crackled into life.

"Mayday! Mayday! This is the Darwin Explorer. Is there anyone out there?"

Like a scolded cat Ralph jumped forward to unhook the handheld microphone from its clip and hold it to his lips in order to respond. "Darwin Explorer this is the Australian warship Amberley. What is the nature of your emergency?"

"Amberley, we're having some engine trouble. We can't get the thing started and I'm getting a bit concerned about this weather front that's coming in."

* * *

Buffer and Kate stood in the hallway just below the stairs that lead to the bridge and spoke with subdued voices. Buffer wanted to put Morales back on duty but Kate was quick to remind him that Navy procedure regarding attempted suicides aboard warships was quite clear.

"I have a responsibility to everyone onboard and I'm not sure I feel comfortable about allowing her back on duty. A suicidal crewmember can be a risk to both themselves and others."

"I understand that ma'am," he explained. "But after speaking with her I don't think she is going to try it again. She is more embarrassed than anything else and I think she's had her outburst now and that it will probably be the end of it." It was not often that the two of them disagreed on anything but Buffer never forgot his place even though their personal relationship had blossomed recently and he was addressing her as 'Kate' more and more. "The truth is ma'am with our steaming party aboard the Coral Dawn and with Morales now awake and confined to her bunk with another crewman watching over her we are down five crew from eighteen. That's a big hit for us to take."

"I'm aware of that," added Kate starting to see his logic but at the same time suspecting that his own past was affecting his judgement on this matter. "Has she said anything about why she tried to jump?"

"No," replied Buffer regretfully. He had tried repeatedly to get Morales to open up but his attempts had failed. Morales had been fully awake and appeared quite calm and competent when he had discussed other things with her but as soon as the topic of what had happened came up she refused to speak. Kate looked away as she thought for a moment. Despite the reduced numbers Amberley was still effectively operational but the strain on the crew was increasing with the passage of time. That said however without knowing Morales' thinking when she tried to jump over meant that there was no way to confirm she wouldn't try it again. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"CO to the Bridge. CO to the bridge," wailed Taylor's voice over the loudspeaker.

Kate turned back to Buffer knowing that she was going to have to cut this discussion short. "I'm sorry Pete but I'm afraid I just can't take the chance at the moment," and with that she walked passed him back towards the steps that lead up to the bridge.

* * *

Taylor leaned over his charts as he drew a line from their current position to the set of coordinates that Palmer had received a few moments ago. Taking into consideration the distance between the two points and the Amberley's economical cruising speed of fourteen knots he formulated that the Darwin Explorer was two and a half hours away to the North East.

"What's the problem?" asked Kate as she walked back on to the bridge followed by Buffer. Taylor turned around as he explained, "We have received a distress call from a small pleasure craft having engine trouble. They are two and a half hours to the north east of our current position. They are right in the path of this weather front coming in."

"Anyone closer?" asked Kate concerned that Amberley was a bit too far away to intercept before the weather front hit.

"No ma'am," replied Taylor. "Just us."

"Typical," uttered Buffer. "So much for avoiding the weather, boss."

"Alright then, Navigator. Take us there. Best speed," ordered Kate.

"Aye ma'am," replied Taylor who then stood ceremoniously at the front of the bridge to pass his orders to Scooter at the helm who confirmed each command.

"Buffer," said Kate turning to him standing beside her. "When we arrive I want you, Spider and Charge take a RHIB over and assess the situation."

"Yes ma'am," acknowledged Buffer.

This seemingly standard order echoed in Scooter's head as he once again picked up on something; they were all Hammersley crew. Scooter felt a cold chill sweeping over him as though he had just climbed into a cold bed. Thoughts began to run through his mind regarding Kate's selection for the boarding party. _Maybe the only reason she wants Hammersley crew to go is because she doesn't trust Kingston crewmembers? We've become second class! _


	15. Lights Out

HMAS AMBERLEY  
1955hrs - LAST DOG WATCH

Charge made his way up from the engine room to the bridge as the Amberley slowly dipped and rose on the increasingly strong waves. You can always tell the 'lifers' aboard patrol boats as they are the only ones who can make their way through a rocking ship with only the minimum of effort to stay upright. He stepped on to the bridge and looked out through the windows for the first time in hours having spent much of the afternoon with his engines.

"Oh that isn't good," he commented on the grey sky that lashed heavy drizzle down onto the ship. While this weather was well within the tolerances of Amberley's design limit the choppy seas did pose a real problem for launching a RHIB and as the chief engineer onboard it was his job to determine if it was safe to do so or not.

"Ah Charge!" said Kate as she pulled herself away from the radar screen at the sound of his voice. She made her way across to him quickly grabbing hold of her chair to help keep her upright as the ship dipped to several degrees to starboard before righting itself. Even Charge felt his hands subconsciously ready themselves to grab hold of the doorframe where he stood although his feet remained still on the deck plating as if they were lined with super glue to hold him in place. "I probably already know the answer to this but I have to ask anyway."

Charge held up his hands to stop her from continuing. He knew what the question was going to be because he had been thinking of little else from the moment she had announced that they were responding to a distress signal.

"I don't much fancy trying to put a RHIB in the water unless there is a direct threat to life ma'am," he explained in his professional tone. The term 'direct threat to life' was one that was coined as a get out of jail free card for ignoring certain safety procedures when absolutely necessary. Charge knew from experience that it was possible to launch a RHIB in these conditions but it would be precarious at best and this tended to make the health and safety officers back on shore a little jumpy.

"We've got a boat out there with no power, Charge, and this weather front is worsening," explained Kate. "I think that qualifies don't you?"

"Yes ma'am," concluded Charge. "I recommend that we don't hang about over there however. If I can't get that thing going without major work then I recommend we get whoever is on board off there and bring them over. We could put a tow line on their boat and drag it back."

Buffer, who had been peering out to sea through a set of binoculars, turned around to Charge at the mention of towing the stricken vessel.

"Won't that pose a risk to us if we got a boat behind us in this weather?" he asked as an image of a pleasure craft ploughing into the Amberley's stern played out in his head.

"Well naturally we'll give out a little more line than usual and as long as we keep the tension on it should be ok," explained Charge. "If worse comes to the worse we can always cut it free on our end. Besides we don't want to just leave it out there. It would be a hazard to other shipping."

"Agreed," said Kate firmly ending the discussion although she suspected that Buffer's recommendation would somehow involve the 40mm Bofors gun on the foredeck. "We will be arriving at the coordinates of the Darwin Explorer anytime now. I suggest you two and Spider get yourselves ready."

"Yes ma'am," repeated Buffer and Charge before Charge added, "If I'm going out in this on a RHIB I'm going to get some dry socks ready for when I get back. It's going to get wet."

* * *

There is no worse way to be aboard a ship in a storm than lying flat on your back as Daniella Morales was finding out. It was Spider's turn to keep suicide watch over her now that she was awake and he stood next to her bunk holding on to the frame to keep himself upright as the ship bobbed back and fore. Her face said it all as it was turning a distinctly green colour right before Spider's eyes. Spider couldn't help but nostalgically reminisce about how unwell he had been on his first outing on a patrol boat and that was during relatively calm weather. He felt sorry for the inexperienced young sailor in front of him as he could now only begin to imagine how rough she was feeling having developed his own sea legs quite some time ago.

The washing machine that was her stomach only served to reinforce Daniella's misery at this point. She felt overwhelming embarrassment regarding what had happened the day before and as she lay there, vomit loading into the tubes leading to her mouth, she still couldn't figure out what had happened no matter how many times she tried to replay the events over and over in her mind. She tried desperately to make sense of it but with every possible explanation she examined it only produced more questions. There was of course one answer that she tried to avoid. It was a ghost!

"Are you going to be ok?" Spider asked her rather limply as she leaned over. Suddenly her upper torso convulsed and Spider looked in horror as the symptoms of projectile vomit appeared in front of him. He quickly caught hold of the medical cardboard bowl that was placed in the bunk underneath hers, in hindsight probably not the ideal place to put it, and lifted it just in time to catch the evacuating contents of her stomach. "Oh that's nasty," he said aloud as he felt the exterior of the bowl warm up while desperately trying to keep his eyes from looking inside.

"You're officially a sailor now," boomed Charge as he walked up to them. The compliment was little comfort to Daniella as she held her head over the bowl wondering if there was going to be a second wave. Charge was wearing his full boarding party gear and after smiling kindly at Morales he turned to Spider and said, "You better go get ready. We're almost at the coordinates of this broken down boat. I'll um…I'll keep Morales company." Charge didn't want Daniella to feel like he had to be there even though she knew he did. Since her attempt to go overboard she had either been kept sedated or on suicide watch so that she didn't have an opportunity to try it again although as she lay there she couldn't believe she had tried it the first time. _Was I really that frightened? Should I have been?_

* * *

2010hrs

"Contact!" roared Buffer's voice across the bridge as he held a pair of binoculars to his eyes. With the outside light continuing to diminish the bridge crew were now basking in the red filtered night light. A red filter is used for night time illumination because unlike any other coloured light it does not affect the eye's natural night vision. "Green one zero!" Almost at once, like a box of curious kittens, every head on the bridge turned to look in the direction of ten degrees to starboard. In the spray of the sea and the near relentless drizzle from the darkened heavens only the sharpest eyes on the bridge could see the lights on the horizon without binoculars. The Darwin Explorer was about on fifth the size of Amberley and its fiberglass hull was painted bright white. It had a one tier cabin that stretched halfway along the hull and judging by the generous deck space it was primarily intended for recreational purposes. They had detected the Darwin Explorer on radar several minutes earlier and had used it to guide themselves towards the disabled vessel.

Kate lifted up her own binoculars and confirmed Buffer's sighting. This was not a reflection on Buffer's competence. It was simply standard practice for a CO to confirm everything. She let go of her binoculars and they swung freely from her neck as she turned to Ensign Taylor and Buffer. "Buff, you're up. Navigator, call hands to…what the hell?"

The cause of Kate cutting herself off was immediately apparent to all. She was mid sentence when every light and piece of electrical equipment suddenly and without prior warning cut out leaving the bewildered bridge crew in near total darkness. What little light there was came from the dark grey late afternoon sky outside the row of windows that run the better part of the circumference of the bridge.

"Electrical failure!" gasped a horror stricken Scooter manning the helm.

"Stop both engines!" bellowed Kate as her training quickly kicked in. She knew that even though the engines were still running the radar and radio equipment was now inoperable and as such the vessel was effectively not seaworthy. A blind and deaf HMAS Amberley would be a risk to itself and others.

"Engines non responsive ma'am and the helm has seized up! I can't turn the wheel," replied Scooter who was now bordering on being panic stricken.

"Keep trying idiot!" shot Buffer noting that Scooter had only tried once to bring the ship to a stop. Scooter quickly obliged although the effort proved to be little more than an exercise in futility. Kate rushed over to the intercom handset. She knew that in all likelihood this too was down but she had to try on the off chance that the power failure wasn't system wide.

"MCR, bridge," she called out into the microphone in a vain effort to contact someone in the engine room. There was no response but nevertheless she tried again. "MCR, bridge!" The handset didn't even crackle or spit in response. "Dead!" she grumbled as she put it back. She then walked over to where the portable handsets were located and picked one of them up hoping that whoever was down there had the sense to switch them on as soon as the electrics failed.

"Ma'am!" said Buffer with a tone that would have been appropriate for a man who had just had a gun put in his face. "Ma'am we got a problem!" A sarcastic streak ran through Kate's mind regarding Buffer's comment and it almost made it to her lips until she realized Buffer was staring out to sea.

"What is it?" she asked as she tried to see what he was staring so profusely at. "Oh my God!" she gasped as she saw what had caught Buffer's worried attention so suddenly. "The Darwin Explorer…"

"We're on a collision course!" finished Buffer.

The Darwin Explorer was at anchor but thanks to the slack in its chain it was being tossed around the ocean and was now drifting into the path of the uncontrollable Amberley.

* * *

"DAVIES!!!"

Daniella's ear drums vibrated thanks to the high decibel level of Charge's voice as he tried desperately to call the sailor in the engine room located just twenty feet down the darkened corridor outside her bunk. Few sailors could ever gain the wealth of experience Charge could bring to a situation and it was this experience that was screaming in his mind almost as loud as his voice. He knew that the CO would no doubt order the engines to be stopped if all electrical power was lost and that there must have been a reason why this hadn't happened yet but then again Davies was relatively new to the job.

"DAVIES!!!"

Charge's voice grew coarse from trying to contact the crewman in the Machine Control Room but figured that his voice was no doubt being drowned out by the sound of the two engines. Charge was left with a dilemma. Regulations prohibited leaving Daniella on her own since she was on suicide watch but at the same time he knew that every decision made in this critical situation could mean the difference between life and death and there was no one in the immediate vicinity who could take over for him. He contemplated leaving her but if she then took the opportunity to go overboard he didn't think he could live with that on his conscience.

"DAVIES!!!"

* * *

"MCR, bridge!" said Kate into the portable radio. "MCR, bridge please respond!" There was no response and this left her with no choice but to send someone down there. With the Darwin Explorer now positioned directly in front of them it was not as simple as just stopping the engines since the ship had gathered up enough momentum to keep it surging onward and would probably still hit the small pleasure craft ahead of them. Hopefully the weather would be able to alter their course away from the Darwin Explorer but the Amberley, formerly USCGS Choctaw, was designed to operate in these weather conditions and the possibility was therefore remote. "Buffer!" she called out in an urgent manner. Buffer turned to receive his orders. "I don't care how Charge does it but get down there and get him to alter our course. We need to steer away from that boat! Go! Go now!"

"Yes ma'am," blurted Buffer picking up a radio of his own and clipping it to his belt before making a run for the stairs at the rear of the bridge that made their way down towards the galley. Grabbing the battery powered torch that hung on the wall next to the doorway for just such an emergency as this Buffer made his way down the stairs into a corridor of perpetual darkness thanks to the lack of windows either side. A beam of light from another torch approached him as he found Amberley's Cheffo walking passed him on his way to the bridge and the two of them patted each other on the shoulders to let the other know they were ok.

As quickly as he could, considering the darkness, Buffer raced down the corridor passed the galley before passing the enlisted mess. His frantic pace caused the light from the torch in his hand to dance around the walls of the corridor as he approached another stairwell that lead down to the lower deck where the MCR was located.

"Peter!"

Buffer stopped so suddenly that his feet slipped on the floor. He could have sworn he had heard his name being called. He was so sure of it that despite the seriousness of the situation he felt compelled to stop and listen out for it again. He was so desperate to hear it again that he even held his breath in order to stop the sound of his fast breathing from interfering.

"Peter!" The voice called out again. There was no mistaking it. The distinctive sound of a woman with a Polish accent was calling him. It was a voice he had heard most of his life until just over a year ago when he thought he would never hear it again. He sharply turned on the spot as he realized that the voice had come from behind him. The corridor was still in darkness but then suddenly a light switched on inside the enlisted mess the door of which was located on the right hand side of the corridor. The voice called out his name a third time and the hairs on the back of Buffer's neck stood up as he recognized the voice of his dead mother. His whole body tingled with apprehension as he reasoned that it couldn't possibly be his mother's voice. He was either mistaken or someone was playing a sick joke on him. Either way Buffer had now somehow forgotten about his task. He couldn't explain why but he felt he couldn't just turn away from the voice that was coming from the enlisted mess. "Peter…Help me!"

Buffer's heart raced in his chest as his body filled with adrenalin causing his arms and legs to shake. He began to walk cautiously towards the light coming from the mess all the while his disembodied mother's voice kept calling out to him. He could hear her pleading for help and he couldn't refuse it.

"Buffer SITREP!" called out Kate's frantic voice over his radio but his brain failed to register the importance of the transmission and he almost subconsciously switched off his radio as he continued to walk nervously towards the enlisted mess. His mind was flooded with a cocktail of emotions ranging from confusion to anger. The closer he got to the illuminated mess the clearer and louder the voice became until finally he stood just to the right of the door and could see only the far left corner of the room.

"Peter…Help me!" cried the distinctly Polish voice.

"I'm coming mum!" sobbed Buffer as he stepped into the room.

* * *

Charge couldn't take it anymore. He had to act and quickly. He turned back to Daniella and said, "I have to go. Come on! You're coming with me."

Daniella jumped down from her bunk and her legs struggled to find their balance on the swaying floor. Nevertheless she managed to follow Charge down the dark corridor into the engine room known as the MCR. There Charge found Davies, a former HMAS Kingston crewmember, rummaging around with a torch in his hand and ear defenders placed on his head. Charge wanted to rip him apart for his seemingly incompetent behaviour and stormed right up to him before yanking the defenders off his ears to scream, "What are you doing? Have you contacted the bridge?"

"No," replied Davies who was thinking that if the bridge wanted something they would have contacted him by now. Infuriated, Charge snatched the torch off him and walked back to the control panel leaving Davies with Daniella. As he made his way across the room with Amberley still pitching from side to side Charge wondered what kind of ship Dick Curry was running if Davies was anything to go by. Charge would take one Hammersley crewmember over five of Kingston's crew any day. He reached down onto the shelf and found the MCR's portable radio. He turned it to its maximum volume setting to help hear it over the sound of the two diesel engines before holding it to his face to radio the bridge.

"Charge!" screeched Kate's voice. "Where the hell have you been? Nevermind. We are on a collision course with the Darwin Explorer and we haven't got steering. Can you steer from down there?"

"Negative ma'am," replied Charge. "It's all on one pulley system. If you can't steer from the bridge then you can't steer down here. I could try to reverse one of the engines to bring us around."

"Do it! Now!" bellowed Kate's crackled voice over the radio. Charge immediately went to work to try and reverse the starboard engine.

* * *

Buffer stood inside the enlisted mess. As far as he could tell this was the only place where the lights worked but there was no sign of his mother even though he was certain that this was where she had been calling him from. Buffer's pleading eyes looked around the small room in an effort to find her and even though it was clear that there was no one there he still kept looking as he hung on to the tiniest bit of hope that she was there.

He took several paces forward until he was standing next to the table and looked over at the wooden bench on the other side. It was empty and having given up on finding his mother he suddenly came to his senses as a cold chill wrapped over his body. He turned back towards the door and was about to make a run for the engine room when he was confronted by a grey man standing in front of him. The man was unlike anyone he had ever seen before. His features were blurred and confused except for his cold eyes that seemed to look through Buffer's soul.

Unable to assimilate what was happening Buffer stood still, almost frozen, on the spot. He could hear the mans wheezy breathing from what vaguely resembled a mouth at the bottom of the head of the humanoid figure before him. For several seconds Buffer and the grey man stood silent. Then suddenly Buffer felt a tremendous force hit him square in the face breaking his nose. The force was so strong that Buffer's body had no choice but to submit to it and was thrown over the table and landed on the hard bench on the other side.

Buffer felt his face gushing with blood from his broken nose. He could even taste a little bit of it as it went into his mouth and stained his teeth a slight pink. Through dazed and confused eyes he looked up as the grey man began to dematerialise as if he were made of smoke and someone had placed a fan in the corridor. The last Buffer saw of the entity was his pair of piercing eyes before they too vanished. Seconds later the light switched out plunging the bleeding Buffer into darkness.

* * *

The starboard engine coughed and spluttered as Charge shut it down manually before quickly working the gear controls in order to reverse the prop shaft. The gear control was a small handle mounted just ahead of the engine and Charge had to use all his strength to move it. For some reason, that for the moment escaped him, the handle had chosen this moment to refuse to budge and it took a superhuman effort from the engineer to finally get it into place.

He stumbled back to the control panel with arms that were now so tired that the small plastic torch in his right hand seemed to weigh a ton. Back at the control panel Charge turned the key to start the starboard engine. The big diesel engine coughed and spluttered for several seconds without sparking properly. Charge silently prayed faster than he had ever done so in his life. Suddenly the engine responded and it growled into action. The effect was immediately apparent as the whole ship seemed to jerk to the right now that the starboard propeller was in reverse.

* * *

"We're turning!" yelled Scooter jubilantly.

Kate was not so quick to celebrate. The Darwin Explorer was just yards ahead of them bobbing up and down in the water. Through choppy seas the Amberley kicked to the right and the Darwin Explorer appeared to drift to the left of the patrol boat. It soon became clear however that they were too late. It was even obvious to Scooter that the two vessels were going to collide. Kate noticed that her bridge crew were all fixated at the sight of the Darwin Explorer and knew that they had to take the proper precautions for a collision.

"Brace for impact!" she shouted out to them while regretting that she had no way to warn the rest of her crew. "Brace! Brace! Brace!"

The crew assumed their crash positions that were intended to limit the injuries that would be sustained in a collision at sea. They tried to cushion themselves up against the walls as best they could and placed their heads between their knees in order to provide some kind of protection for their skulls. Once they were in position they had no choice but to wait patiently for the inevitable.

It came with an almighty thump on the port hull and the impact reverberated in the deck plates beneath them. The thump lasted barely a second and Kate cautiously lifted her head from between her knees and stood back up to look out at the vessel that had collided with the Amberley. Expecting to find a heavily damaged pleasure craft she was relieved to find the Darwin Explorer had survived the impact relatively unscathed. Just a few scratches were immediately apparent on the side of the hull and the two occupants aboard stared back at her in disbelief of what had just happened.


	16. Lines in the Sea

CORAL DAWN STEAMING PARTY  
2045hrs

The rain tapped against the windows of the wheelhouse as the fishing vessel continued its way south across the Arafura Sea bobbing and swaying in the weather that continued its unrelenting march towards the South East. The sky had turned deathly black with thick clouds hanging low overhead with only the bright searchlight positioned over the bridge illuminating the sea ahead. Fritz was still manning the helm when Rawlings seemed to fall up the winding stairs as the boat dipped forward several degrees only to rise up again. Rawlings was not used to being on vessels this small having served on a Frigate prior to joining the HMAS Hammersley. Frigates were a little more stable in this type of weather and it was that fact that rang in his mind as he picked himself up from the top of the stairwell that lead down into the main cabin. With arms outstretched in order to grab hold of anything that might offer him some support he made his way towards his shipmate.

"Drop in anytime mate," chuckled Fritz.

"That is so unoriginal!" barked a truly frustrated Rawlings. "The XO wants me to take over for a bit."

"Well it's about time, I'm starving," said Fritz as he released his left hand from the helm in order to allow Rawlings to squeeze in and take over. "We're still on course. We should be getting into Cairns before lunchtime tomorrow. Think you can get us there on time?" As soon as Fritz had finished speaking he made his way across the bridge with a little more grace than Rawlings had done. It took a few seconds before Rawlings registered what Fritz had said and felt compelled to get some clarification.

"What do you mean?" he asked as Fritz was about to make his way down the winding stairwell to join Satchwell and the detained crew in the main cabin.

"You're one of the mighty Hammersley crew aren't you?" chortled Fritz. "I bet you could take us the whole way on your own."

At first Rawlings simply dismissed the remark as Fritz being his usual self but he noticed that there was a hint of hostility in his voice aimed towards him. It was the same feeling he got from Satchwell and was at a loss to explain it. He knew there was rivalry between the two crews but he never expected it to be this intense.

"Warship Amberley this is warship Adelaide, please respond!" The voice on the radio had pulled Rawlings's attention away from Fritz. He listened intently as the message repeated itself but again Amberley failed to respond.

"Oh yeah!" said Fritz as if remembering something he had intended to mention. "I tuned the radio into the Navy frequency to see what's going on. They've been trying to get Amberley on the radio for about fifteen minutes now."

"And you didn't tell us?" shot Rawlings who thought both he and Satchwell should have been told straight away that their shipmates back on Amberley maybe in trouble.

"Why?" asked Fritz as if the answer was obvious. "There's nothing we can do about it. You got a lot to learn mate." Fritz carried on down the stairwell leaving a bewildered Rawlings manning the helm to guide the commandeered vessel into the night.

"Warship Amberley this is warship Adelaide, please respond!"

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY

In spite of everything that was happening aboard her ship Kate found herself rising to the challenge. She fought to control her emotional state which was trying desperately to panic but she was keeping those urges deep down in her stomach and her mind took total control. She assessed the whole situation and planned out every course of action they would need to take in sequence to regain control of her vessel.

"Bridge, MCR. Both engines stopped!" crackled Charge's voice over the handheld radio as Kate looked out at the Darwin Explorer through the Night Vision Goggles. Although distances were difficult to judge through the green filtered lenses she estimated that the small craft was about a quarter of a mile away. After checking that the civilian vessel was still afloat with both its occupants onboard she placed the goggles down in order to pick up the portable radio.

"Roger that Charge," she replied. "How are we doing about restoring power?"

"I'm going to fire up the auxiliary generator in a second. If it's the batteries that's the problem then we should be ok otherwise I'm going to have to trace the break in the system. As for steering…" Charge's voice broke off momentarily. "I'm at a complete loss ma'am."

"Understood Charge, do what you can," said Kate encouragingly.

Scooter was still trying the helm when he heard Kate talking to Charge. He couldn't help but think that she was being too soft on Charge since this was clearly an engineering problem and as Chief Engineer it was Charge's negligence that had got them in this mess. He began to wonder if she would be so forgiving if the Chief Engineer was from Kingston.

"Ok team!" bellowed Kate getting the attention of everyone on the bridge. "This is what we are going to do. While Charge works at restoring power we are going to assess the ship for damage and casualties. Internal communications will be via handheld radios only since we can't rely on the intercom system. Now the Darwin Explorer hit on our port side so that's where we are going to begin our assessment. Once power is restored and we have control of the ship once more we have to get back to assisting the civilian vessel. Despite our own condition we are still in the middle of a rescue operation so-"

"Ma'am! Ma'am!" shrieked Spider's voice as he suddenly burst onto the darkened bridge. He stood there trying to catch his breath before he managed to blurt out, "Buffer's been injured. He's down in the enlisted mess."

"Cheffo," said Kate indicating for him to attend their injured colleague.

"On it boss," replied Able Seaman Luke 'Cheffo' Kennedy who brushed passed Spider before darting down the stairwell. Although she had so far managed to control her emotions, news that Buffer was injured was a big hit to the barrier that was keeping them in check. She swallowed an imaginary lump in her throat as she pushed through it in order to keep on top of the situation. She knew that everyone was looking at her for support and that she had to exert an air of strength. She was the Commanding Officer and she had to instill confidence in those under her even though secretly she was more scared at that point than at any other time she could recall. As if to answer her silent prayers, power returned to the lights and electrics as the ship seemed to reawaken before their very eyes.

"Bridge, MCR," announced Charge's voice over Kate's handheld radio. "Auxiliary generator is up and running."

"Very good Charge," acknowledged Kate holding the radio to her lips. "Now, can you restore the helm?"

"I'm working on it," replied Charge. "First I have to find out what the problem is. The helm isn't linked to the electrics, it's all manual. In theory the power loss shouldn't have affected our ability to steer."

Kate silently cursed under her voice in disbelief of the fact that there now seemed to have been two separate problems that had cropped up at the same time and thus resulted in a collision. She lifted up the radio to her mouth once more in order to speak, "Understood Charge." She released the transmit button on the radio. "Ok team let's get to it. At the rush!"

"_Team, _yeah right!" uttered Scooter poisonously under his breath but Kate had just caught it and felt she could not let it pass unchallenged.

"Something you want to say, Able?" she shot back furiously. Scooter suddenly felt like a little schoolboy again and his head lowered submissively as he replied, "No ma'am."

"Good!" snapped Kate. "Now get to work." Kate was so angry with Scooter at that point. She couldn't understand how he could make little remarks like that at a critical point like this. Scooter's interpretation of her chastising him in front of the rest of the crew only served to reinforce his feelings of double standards for the Kingston crewmembers aboard Amberley. In his mind Charge's negligence had crippled the ship but he gets a motivational speech. He absent mindedly utters a few unfortunate words he gets cut down like an old tree.

* * *

"Ok Buffer there's only one way this is going to go down," said Cheffo examining Buffer's nose.

"Just do it!" said Buffer through blood stained mouth. Cheffo picked up the spoon he had brought from a tray in the galley and held it alongside Buffer's nose.

"Ok ready?" asked Cheffo to which Buffer just nodded slightly. "Ok, one. Two. Three."

Kate appeared in the doorway to be greeted by a loud crunching sound as Buffer seemed to dig his fingers into the bench he was slumped across as he fought to keep the excruciating pain down inside but nevertheless a loud growl echoed down the corridor as he submitted to it. Kate instinctively recoiled slightly at the unexpectedly gruesome scene she had walked in on.

With Buffer's nose back in place, or as good as, Cheffo began cleaning the wound with some antibacterial wipes from his medical kit. It was only then did Buffer notice Kate standing in the doorway. He tried to avoid looking at her as he felt humiliated by the whole experience.

"How is he Cheffo?" she asked.

"Oh I think his ego is worse than his nose at the moment boss," said Cheffo in a light hearted manner intended to lift Buffer's mood a little but failing miserably.

"Buffer," said Kate in an understanding tone. She knew that one of the things Buffer never accepted was his own weakness especially when he was needed most and had failed. He didn't like to be reminded that he was only human. "What happened?"

Buffer's mind heard his mother's voice calling him once more as the event once more unfolded in his memory. It was so bizarre to him now and yet he knew that at the time it seemed so real. It was as if he weren't in control of his facets at that moment and he had become a puppet for someone else to play with. For someone like Peter Tomaszewski it was a terrifying thought.

"Buff?" continued Kate still waiting for an answer.

"I-I fell," said Buffer as convincingly as he could while Cheffo placed a thin medicals plaster over his nose to keep the wound from reopening. "The boat must have dipped and I fell forward and broke my nose." Cheffo had his back to Buffer and was going through the medical box when he gave out a slow deep chuckle at the sound of Buffer's explanation. Buffer's blood boiled. "You think this is funny do you?"

Stunned, Cheffo turned around to confirm that Buffer was talking to him. "What?" he asked. "I didn't say anything."

Buffer kept his eyes locked accusingly on Cheffo as he waited for him to confess to the laughing. Kate looked on confused as Buffer seemed determined to get an answer from Cheffo until she finally spoke up and said, "Buffer, Cheffo didn't say anything."

"Didn't you hear that?" Buffer asked her before realizing that neither of them had heard the laughing. Buffer's world no longer made any sense as he struggled to find meaning in everything that was going on around him.

In truth he was not the only one. There wasn't a single person aboard the warship who wasn't wondering why this humiliating fate had befallen them. As CO the weight of responsibility was bearing down on Kate's shoulders like she was being under pulled down by some invisible and overwhelming force. To her credit, she took it in her stride and never showed her own suffering as she toured the ship to evaluate its condition for herself. She had just finished speaking with Charge in the engine room when the Radio Operator, known as Hermit, met her in the corridor near the enlisted crew bunkroom.

"Excuse me ma'am," said Hermit. "Message from NAVCOM." He held out the note he had printed off but she didn't take it.

"Just give me the essentials please," she said rather solemnly.

Hermit's hand dropped to the side as he recited the basic message. "We are ordered to hold our position and await the arrival of HMAS Adelaide; she was steaming back from the Samaru Islands when NAVCOM lost contact with us. They're going to tow us back to Cairns. Commander Marshall would like to see you as soon as we arrive. Marshall has stipulated that unless absolutely necessary we are to abort our rescue operation and allow Adelaide to assist the Darwin Explorer. We are to keep an eye on them in case their situation deteriorates but otherwise-"

"Understood," said Kate. This was the final blow for her. It was one thing to suffer a humiliating mechanical breakdown at sea but it was quite another to be ordered not to effect a rescue of a vessel. This showed that NAVCOM had lost all trust in Amberley and her crew. "Anything else?"

"No ma'am," replied Hermit sympathetically. A short silence signaled his dismissal and he turned to leave her alone with her thoughts.

* * *

CAIRNS  
THE NEXT DAY  
1615

There is nothing more humiliating for a ship's crew than to suffer the disgrace of having to be towed back to base by another warship except failing your mission. The crew of HMAS Amberley had suffered both disgraces in a single day. Even if Charge had somehow managed to free the rudder and restore control of the Amberley NAVCOM would have insisted on the vessel being brought back under tow in case the same happened again in the busy harbour.

Kate felt dead inside. Almost the whole journey back to Cairns she simply sat quietly on the bridge staring at HMAS Adelaide ahead of them. She didn't sleep and barely ate anything all day. She was both mentally and physically exhausted and felt as though she was running on automatic. All the emotion she had kept buried inside her was now eating away at her more and more with every nautical mile back to base.

Dressed in her 'whites' she climbed the steps that lead to NAVCOM's main building. Although she had walked up them many times in her career they had never felt so steep as they did now. Each step felt harder and harder to make and the building itself didn't seem to be getting any closer. Half way up she saw another officer walking towards her and as he lifted his head up she recognized it as her Executive Officer Lieutenant Matt Satchwell. He gave her a customary salute which she returned but he simply passed by her with not so much as a word thus increasing her feeling of isolation. As she finally walked into the main building towards the Operations Room she felt as though she was being led to the gallows.

Marshall called her into his office as soon as she arrived. She expected to feel the full fury of his wrath bearing down on her but was surprised to find him in quite a gentle mood. Marshall was an experienced sailor and patrol boat Captain and knew that nothing he could say to her could possibly beat her up anymore than she had already done so to herself.

He offered her a chair at his desk and she quietly sat down as he made his way around the other side to face her. He leaned forward on the table and clasped his hands together as he tried to find the words to use. He looked into her eyes and knew that the best thing to do was to just come out with it.

"There is going to have to be an investigation," he explained. "It's standard practice for when a warship is involved in a collision with another vessel. There will be an informal hearing to be convened within a week after a preliminary investigation has been carried out to determine whether further action needs to be taken. I don't suppose I need to tell you, Kate, that as CO the burden of responsibility falls on you?"

"No sir," replied Kate.

"Very well then. We can go through all the details tomorrow. Why don't you take some time to gather your thoughts? It's been a rough few days."

Kate stood back up as the rather short and one sided conversation came to an end. Marshall watched her leave through the glass walls of his office and couldn't help but feel overwhelming sympathy for her. After she had been gone for no more than two minutes a thought came to Marshall's head and he picked up the phone.

Kate didn't know what to do with herself. She considered going home but instead began walking the grounds of NAVCOM until she eventually stopped on the wharf looking out at the HMAS Amberley moored up across the bay. At that moment the patrol boat personified her frustration as it sat there silently mocking her.

"It's not as easy as it looks is it?" emanated the familiar voice from behind her. She turned around and saw Mike Flynn standing before her. Like Kate, Mike was in his Navy 'whites' having spent much of his time these days ashore overseeing the work being done to HMAS Hammersley. "Marshall gave me a call," he explained. "He said you could do with talking to someone who was used to rocking the boat...So to speak."

Kate smiled for what seemed like the first time in ages. This small emotion painted on her face opened the floodgates and all the built up frustration suddenly poured out from her as her barriers broke down. Mike put his arms around her and she fell onto his shoulders.

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY

Unknown to anyone on shore, someone aboard Amberley was celebrating that day. The invisible entity dashed through the empty corridor from the engine room and up the stairs towards the galley and the enlisted mess jeering and laughing to itself. It made its way onto the empty bridge feeding on the negative energy that seemed to have been imprinted in the bulkheads of the vessel. Like a spoiled child who had been given all the toys it could ever want it moved about the bridge and started tapping on the walls before throwing Taylor's navigational charts off the table. It then made it's way back towards the door that lead back down towards the Galley.

As the entity walked along the corridor back to where it had assaulted Buffer it looked at one of the RAN motivational photographs hanging on the wall. By will power alone it smashed the glass and the frame fell to the floor. The entity stood over the broken frame and chuckled. It was a sound that could reverberate in your soul and haunt your thoughts. Imprinted on the photograph was the word 'loyalty'.

The entity suddenly realized it was not alone. It could sense the presence of another entity that was hostile to it. The other entity demanded the intruder to leave the vessel but its requests were met with jeers and laughter. The Amberley had become a battlefield bewteen these entities. The lines that divided the two sides were drawn using the crew of the patrol boat.


	17. Breaking Barriers

**Author's Note**

**Firstly I'd like to thank everyone for their kind messages and reviews of my story so far. I wish I had more time to work on it and get Chapters out a lot sooner.**

**When I planned this story I felt that a T-rating was going to suffice. However as I continue to work through it I am beginning to feel that maybe it is starting to surpass that. As you read the next Chapter I would like to ask that if anyone feels the story is getting too strong for a T-rating please let me know (message or review) and I will adjust it accordingly.**

**Thanks again and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**- Tony

* * *

**

THE NEXT DAY

Daniella sat quietly in a large leather chair positioned opposite an identical chair that faced her own. The wide room was decorated rather formally with photographs and certificates adorning the four very high walls. It was quite an airy room but even so Daniella felt like she was a rat locked inside a tiny cage and that any second the mad scientist was going to walk through the door and perform bizarre experiments on her to find out what made her tick. Her general unease was exacerbated by the fact that the only sound in the room came from a small bronze clock mounted on the mantelpiece to the right of the two chairs. Each tick of the clock seemed to get louder and louder the longer she waited. It felt at one point that the ticking of the clock was matching her own heartbeat and she silently prayed for the psychiatrist to return quickly.

Her prayers were answered rather suddenly when the door to the office quickly swung open and Dr Saunders seemed to swoop in towards her. Daniella stood up to greet the rapidly approaching psychiatrist in a manner that signalled that she was more startled by her presence rather than happy to see her. Dr Saunders was in her early thirties, athletically built and had shiny blonde hair which Daniella saw as making her quite similar to Lt Cmdr McGregor.

"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting," said Dr Saunders smiling as she shook hands with Daniella. "It's been one of those mornings. Please take a seat."

"Thank you Doctor," replied Daniella as she sat back down.

"Oh please, call me Melissa," said Dr Saunders sitting in the chair opposite. Daniella simply smiled in acknowledgment. Dr Saunders exerted a powerful air of confidence around her and in Daniella's eyes Saunders was everything she wasn't at this moment. Daniella felt as though she were being scrutinised for something that wasn't really her fault. Or at least she thought that it wasn't her fault? She couldn't be sure herself anymore. As time had passed since the day she tried to jump overboard her recollection of the event had become twisted and confused as her mind began reshuffling them as it tried to make sense of it all. This insecurity had put Daniella strictly on the defensive since coming ashore and as she sat there with Saunders she felt as though the Doctor was already being patronising towards her by insisting that she be called 'Melissa'. "How are you feeling today, Daniella?"

"Fine thank you," replied Daniella almost monotonously.

"Before we begin would you like a drink of something?" asked Dr Saunders in a tone that Daniella felt was more fitting toward a child.

"No thank you," said Daniella now wishing she would just get on with it.

"Ok then, first of all I'd like to begin by clearing something up for you. Nobody is blaming you or punishing you for anything at all. You're here today because of what happened, obviously. Now I'm not Navy and although I have been hired by the MoD I can assure you that anything you tell me will not leave this room unless you so wish it. Ok? My job is to try and find out why you tried to do what you…tried to do and see if there's anyway we can fix whatever is wrong. Ok?"

"Ok," mouthed Daniella as her mouth seemed to fail to produce any sound in response to her Doctor's question.

"We can talk about anything you want so what would you like to talk about?" Daniella leaned back in the chair as she tried to think of a topic she could talk about but she couldn't find any. A rather big part of her wanted to start talking about the day she tried to jump off the boat deck of HMAS Amberley if only to get closure on what had happened but a wall had appeared in her brain that was preventing the topic reaching her lips but her eyes were pleading for help and Saunders noticed this. "Why don't we begin with why you wanted to join the Navy in the first place?"

"Ok," said Daniella thinking that was a good a place as any to start. "It just seemed exciting to me that's all. I wanted to get out on my own for a bit but I just couldn't afford it and then one day I passed the recruitment office on a trip into Perth and it seemed like a good idea."

"I see," said Dr Saunders. "So the Navy was basically something you stumbled upon?"

"Well…" Daniella seemed to look into the back of her head to find the words. She didn't like Saunders implying that her heart wasn't in the Navy and it was at that point she realised that perhaps Saunders was beginning to paint a picture of her as being someone who never wanted the Navy life and couldn't hack it aboard ship so she tried to jump. "In a way I suppose. But after I thought about it for a bit I began to think that it was something I really wanted to do. I had some great times in training and I was really looking forward to serving on Amberley."

"I see," said Dr Saunders. They spent the next few minutes casually discussing her time training for the Navy. "How did you feel the first day out at sea?"

"Excited!" blurted Daniella to the surprise of her Doctor as the young sailor's mind cast back to those wonderful first few hours at sea. "It was brilliant! I felt like I was finally doing something really worthwhile. I had spoken with my parents in the morning before we left and they told me how proud they were and I just felt really grown up."

The two women smiled at Daniella's innocence but it was Daniella's smile that dropped first.

"So what changed?" asked Saunders knowing that the door was open. There was a pause before Daniella answered.

"We were having some problems with the ship," explained Daniella. "Mechanical problems. Things were starting to get tense between each crew."

"Each crew?"

"Yea," said Daniella. "Amberley is made up of parts of two crews while the Armidale-class boats are confined to shore."

"I see. And the two crews, there was friction between them?"

Daniella nodded. "The ones from Kingston blamed the Hammersley crew because most of the senior crew of Amberley come from Hammersley if that makes sense to you? I just felt in the middle since I didn't come from either crew."

"It couldn't have been very pleasant for you?" said Saunders with a genuine feeling of sympathy for the young woman. "Were the crews ever violent to each other? Or to you?"

_Get off my ship!_

The threatening voice snarled in her memory once more sending a cold shiver down her spine. Her eyes pulled away as if ashamed to look at Dr Saunders. It was something the psychiatrist had learned to spot over the years she had been doing her job.

"What happened the day you tried to jump?" asked Dr Saunders tenderly. A tear ran down Daniella's left cheek. The wall in her mind had come down as though it had been demolished by Saunder's and she felt like she had been emotionally boxed into a corner. "Did someone attack you?" Daniella's face screwed up as she broke into a gush of tears. Dr Saunder's handed her a tissue and she wiped her face as she calmed herself.

"I-I don't know what happened," uttered Daniella. "I try! I try to think back but its like-. Have you ever been so scared that your mind seems to shut down?" Daniella began to rock back and forth as if purely to give her something to do. She tried to explain in more detail but the words wouldn't come and Dr Saunder's knew that this was all she was going to get today. She calmed Daniella down and began making more small talk with her until the hour was up.

After watching Daniella leave her office Dr Saunders began to make notes while the interview was still fresh in her mind. She made notes about Daniella's body language and the way she reacted to certain questions. Sadly, Dr Saunder's had seen this behaviour before.

She summed up the whole meeting with the words 'Possible rape victim'.

* * *

SATCHWELL RESIDENCE, CAIRNS

Jennifer Satchwell walked in through the front door of her small two storey home she shared with her husband, Matt, and dropped her car keys down on a small table near the door to the living room. It had turned quite wet this afternoon and she hung up her damp jacket before making her way through the house towards the open plan kitchen.

There her husband sat at the large wooden table in the centre of the room with his hands clasped together in front of him. As she walked in she noticed that her husband's eyes were locked firmly ahead as if staring into nothing and yet desperately trying to find something.

"Hi honey," said Jennifer as she leaned down and kissed him on his left cheek. Matt failed to respond in any way. He just kept looking ahead in an almost catatonic state. "Are you ok?" asked Jennifer to which Matt again failed to respond. "Honey?"

"I'm fine!" said Matt through gritted teeth as if annoyed at her very presence.

"You sure?" she again asked.

"Yes!"

"O-Ok," said Jennifer thinking it best to leave it there. "Well you won't believe the day I've had." Jennifer began walking over to the cupboards to begin making her self a cup of coffee. "You know that new car park they've got open in town? Well I thought I'd park in there today while I went to see Laura. The baby is doing much better now by the way. Anyway I paid for an hour because that's all I thought I was going to be but you know what I'm like around babies. I lost track of time and I was about five minutes over what I had paid for and would you believe it? They actually gave me a ticket! So I went over-."

"My ship!"

"What was that honey?" asked Jennifer wondering what he wanted to say even though she was in the middle of her own sentence.

"It should be my ship!" snarled Matt. Jennifer turned around to face her husband. Matt kept his gaze locked at infinity as though she weren't there but nevertheless she felt compelled to reply to him.

"We both know Amberley should have been yours," she said in a comforting tone.

"No!" shot Matt suddenly rising to his feet. "It _is _mine! It was stolen from me!" Matt began to pace the room restlessly as he ranted on. "It's so clear to me now. 'Fritz' was right. He told me. I deserve it. I'm a good officer."

"Of course you are," interjected Jennifer who suddenly felt overwhelming concern for her husband.

"It's that Buffer! He's trying to take my place. They both are! They know it's mine. Mine! My ship! Don't you understand? My ship!"

"Matt!" pleaded Jennifer. He didn't reply. Instead he just kept repeating himself over and over. "Matt you're scaring me."

"Don't worry!" he said finally noticing she was in the room. "Just-Just don't worry!"

"But-"

In all five years they had been married Jennifer had never seen her husband react the way he did at that moment. He suddenly threw himself at her and held her arms tightly as he pinned her to the kitchen counter and stared into her terrified eyes. The voice from her husband's mouth seemed to reach into her heart and break it like glass as he snarled, "He said don't worry about it! What's wrong with you?"

Matt suddenly released his grip and stood back. He looked down at his terrified wife as she began to sob bitterly before running off into the next room. He struggled to make sense of what was happening. He looked at his hands and couldn't believe the fact that they had just been put on his wife in a manner that until today he would never have dreamed of.

He felt a sudden urge to leave. He couldn't stay here. He walked out through the front door, taking the family car keys, leaving Jennifer crying on the sofa.


	18. Truth & Ignorance

CAIRNS, 1530hrs

The sky over the city in North Queensland had gone from a light grey around lunchtime to a rather heavy looking blanket of wet weather, a harbinger of a stormy night ahead. As Nikki Caetano paid the taxi driver a white Toyota sedan went rushing passed despite the wet weather that was lashing down around her. Nikki paid little attention to the speeding car, merely dismissing it as another idiot with a driving license, and quickly made her way across the road to the public house on the other side.

The pub was a quaint little establishment about twenty five minutes by car from NAVCOM, far enough away to avoid any sailors but still close enough to get back in a hurry if need be. It's surprising how much the Navy becomes part of your life. Domestic chores like running errands suddenly fit into a plan that allows a sailor to return to the ship quickly should they be crash sailed in a national emergency. Divisional officers become like a big brother to the sailors under their command. They always want to know where you're going on shore leave and how long you're going to be there. For some this can be quite intrusive but for others it's an accepted way of life.

Nikki stood inside the doorway to be greeted by a wide open plan room with a rather comforting open fire on the far left. Several chairs were arranged around it and there were at least two elderly gentlemen sitting in them with a black and white Spaniel curled up at their feet. Feeling like a drowned rat she took off her wet leather jacket and carried it over to the bar. Placing it down on a stool she looked around as the barmaid approached her.

"What'll it be sweety?" asked the portly woman with curly red hair. Nikki couldn't help but think that the barmaid, who appeared to be in her late fourties, reminded her of her aunty Kerry; friendly but also giving the impression that it would be unwise to cross her. With this thought in her head she smiled before answering, "I'll just have an orange juice please."

"On me!" interjected the familiar voice of Pete 'Buffer' Tomaszewski as he appeared to her right from the direction of the toilets.

Before Nikki could say anything the barmaid turned towards him with a rather disproving look on her face. "Uh, we aint running a dating service here mate!" she grumbled. "This is a respectable pub. You want to find love I suggest you go online."

"It's ok," said Nikki beaming with glee. With the barmaid's interruption Nikki had yet to look at Buffer and it was as she reassured the barmaid that they were friends that she noticed that his nose had two white strips across it with a scar down the front. Her smile dropped suddenly at the sight of his injury and after paying for her drink Pete motioned for the two of them to take a seat in the corner of the pub. They took their seats, under the watchful eyes of the barmaid, the two elderly gentlemen and the black and white spaniel, and talked with hushed voices until their spectators lost interest or fell asleep. "Pete...What happened?"

"I-I fell and hit my nose on the door," explained Buffer unconvincingly. As Buffer lifted up his bottle of beer she watched the expression on his face. It wasn't embarrassment that she was reading from him. She'd known him long enough to recognize the boyish naivety she expected to find emanating from him if it was something as simple as falling over but as she continued to examine she tried to remember a time when she had seen this look before. She knew it was familiar somehow and yet she couldn't quite place it.

"Pete, has something happened?" she asked, her voice hinting at the answer she was expecting. The look she was seeing in him was the same one she had seen over a year and a half ago. Buffer had been captured by insurgents on the Samaru Islands and they had cruelly forced him to dig his own grave. The look she saw on his face at this moment resembled that same look of fear that she saw back then when he was rescued.

"Like what?" asked Buffer in a rather defensive way that surprised Nikki somewhat. She tried to answer but the suddenness of his voice had cut her down and for the first time she felt uncomfortable around him. Buffer picked up on her discomfort and was ashamed of himself as a result. She was after all only showing concern, a sign of true friendship that is becoming an ever increasingly rare commodity in the world. "I'm sorry ma'am. I'm...I'm just a bit on edge. It's been a stupid week!"

Nikki smiled understandingly. "I heard about what happened," she said referring to the collision with the Darwin Explorer.

"Yea," uttered Buffer as he took another drink of his beer. "Kate is taking it pretty hard."

"_Kate?_" gasped Nikki whose smile was now widening across her face.

"Oh…uh Lieutenant Commander McGregor," uttered Buffer desperately to recover from his slip of the tongue. Nikki kept looking at him with interrogating eyes and she saw his tough veneer suddenly break down to be replaced by the embarrassed little boy that lurked underneath. "Anyway, she seemed to be taking it pretty hard on the journey back. I haven't seen her since yesterday so I don't know if she's any better today."

"Well when you do see _Kate,_" chortled Nikki. "If it makes her feel any better you can tell her that it wasn't the first time that particular boat was involved in a collision."

Buffer looked at her as she nodded in confirmation and with that she began to tell him what she had found out about the USCGS Choctaw.

* * *

CAIRNS HARBOUR

Nikki could never have known the relevance of the white Toyota sedan that had rushed passed her outside the pub to the conversation she was now having in the pub with Buffer. It was parked up near a set of black railings that looked out at the military vessels docked across the bay.

As the rain tapped against the windows Lieutenant Matt Satchwell sat calmly in the driver's seat, more calmly than he had felt for days. It was as if his sudden outburst against his wife had snapped him out of his downward spiral into a well of anger. With his mind now clear he began to wonder why he was so angry. There was no just logic to it that he could see. He had known for almost a month before Amberley set sail that he wouldn't be in command of the ship and he was fine with it and yet over the past few days his every thought rang with jealousy over Kate McGregor.

"What changed?" he murmured under his breath trying desperately to find an answer in his mind. "Fritz!" Sifting through his memory to the first time he felt this almost unsubstantiated rage he found himself thinking back to his conversation with Fritz the day the Amberley intercepted the Coral Dawn. It was as if Fritz's words seemed to open a door to this rage that had overwhelmed him since then. "I'm such an idiot! How could I let him get to me like that?"

His train of thought was interrupted by a sudden squeaking sound.

* * *

"Four people!" repeated Buffer as he heard Nikki repeat the tragic story of the day that USCGS Choctaw collided with a Haitian fishing boat.

"Yeah," said Nikki somberly. Both of them had enough experience at sea to know the terror that can exist when things go wrong. Many of us take the sea for granted forgetting that it is an alien world to a human being and that ultimately we are only visitors to the hostile environment. "They were all from the same family. A father and three sons. A fifth person aboard the fishing boat was picked up by the Choctaw's crew. He survived and gave testimony at the inquiry which put blame on the fishermen."

"Was it their fault?" asked Buffer as Nikki took a moment to wet her throat with the glass of orange juice he had bought her from the bar.

"Well," said Nikki. "The inquiry puts fault firmly on the fisherman."

"But?" pushed Buffer.

"There are some people who believe that there was a cover up. That the crew of the Chocktaw acted irresponsibly or was negligent in some way that lead to the collision. I guess we will never know." Nikki seemed to pause as if she were debating whether or not to continue with what she had to say. She could tell already that things were unsettled aboard the Amberley and she was worried she would add to it but Buffer's keen senses had picked up on her hesitance.

"Is there anything else?" he asked her.

"Just one more thing," she said swallowing her hesitance. "No it's silly!"

"What?" asked Buffer. "Come on! Tell me!"

Nikki knew that that he wasn't going to let it go. No matter how silly she felt she knew she was going to have to continue with what else she had learned.

* * *

Matt Satchwell looked around the interior of his car in search of the strange squeaking sound. It had caught his attention and he had to find its source. At first he thought it was his seat and he rocked back and forth in an effort to reproduce the sound he had heard. While it did make a slight squeaking sound it was not the one he had heard. He tried opening and closing the glove box. He tried putting pressure on the door panels. He even began to wind the window up and down and yet he couldn't find it anywhere.

Giving up on his attempts to find the unimportant little squeak in his car he laid back in his seat and subconsciously glanced up at his rear view mirror. Where once he had been able to see the back window he now saw that the mirror was tilted downward and looking at his knee.

"Of course!" he said as he realized that it was the cause of the little sound that seemed to pray on his thoughts. He reached up with his left hand to adjust it back to the correct position.

His hand suddenly recoiled!

"That's odd!" he uttered rubbing the back of his hand. For a moment, as he reached for the mirror, he could have sworn that he felt a cold breeze on the back of his hand. The only feeling he could liken it to was as if someone with ice cold breath was blowing on it.

* * *

"A curse!" gasped Buffer whose lips began to curl. "With all due respect ma'am I'd expect that to come from Charge."

"I know," laughed Nikki at herself for even mentioning it. "I know it sounds silly but the people who were at the inquiry who heard the surviving son screaming…_something_ at the Captain of the Choctaw but nobody really knows what but here's the thing; everyone who heard it said that they felt the hairs on the back of their neck rising as he was dragged away."

"Well the guy had lost three brothers and a father and he was just told that it was their fault. He was bound to be upset. People can say some pretty dark stuff in those circumstances. It was bound to make people feel uneasy," said Buffer trying to put a rational explanation on it. "So where'd all this curse stuff come from?"

Nikki finished the last of her orange juice and placed the empty glass back down on the table. She was now feeling overly foolish and yet she felt compelled to finish the story. "Because of what happened next." She took a deep breath before continuing. "The ship was never the same again. It was dogged by mechanical problems that had it returned to port on more than one occasion. Worse still, there was a dramatic breakdown in discipline amongst the crew. Fights broke out. Apparently one sailor was hit over the head with a glass. I think that was the most serious. In the end they decided to withdraw the Choctaw because it always needed repair work. On the last night it was at sea with the US Coast Guard the Captain…committed suicide."

Nikki was suddenly interrupted by a rather loud chuckle from Buffer. "Come on ma'am, this is a wind up isn't it?"

"You asked me to look into this Pete," protested Nikki. "All I'm doing is telling you what I found out."

"And where did you find this out?" asked Buffer.

"On a website," explained Nikki.

"Which one?"

"American," said Nikki hesitantly before finishing, "."

The volume of Buffer's laugh increased. "I can think of at least two things wrong with that web address ma'am."

Now that she had said it she couldn't help but join in with his laughter. To her it sounded like a rather cheesy horror film and it took Buffer's quite earthbound point of view to clarify it for her.

"I'm going to get another drink," she said as she stood up and made her way to the bar still smiling at her own foolishness. With Nikki gone Buffer's smile began to droop. His mind cast back to the night when the Amberley had collided with the Darwin Explorer and he thought he heard his dead mother's voice calling him. He had been so quick to debunk Nikki's story and yet he struggled to find an explanation for why his nose was broken that night.

"A cursed boat!" he scoffed after entertaining the notion for a split second but as he quickly dismissed it a little voice in the back of his mind said _you know it's true._

* * *

Matt Satchwell reached up again to adjust his rear view mirror back to the way it was. As his left hand got closer to the mirror he braced himself to prepare to feel the cold breeze once again but as his fingers positioned themselves around the frame of the mirror he felt nothing.

Adding pressure with his fingers he adjusted it back to the way it was. He was surprised at how stiff it was considering it had just slipped out of place on its own accord. He twisted it around until it was in the right place and the image on the glass shifted back and fore passing over him twice until it was back in place.

It was then that something had caught his attention. It was as if it were a delayed reaction of some kind like his mind took a few moments to register something. Something was wrong with the image that he had momentarily seen reflected in the glass. That of course was impossible and he chalked it up to the blurriness of the mirror moving quickly from side to side as he adjusted it. He could not let it go however. As he tried to sit there he felt strangely uncomfortable and this would only be alleviated by him checking it again and so he reached up and turned the mirror to look at his own reflection.

The face that stared back at him was not his!

The driver's side door swung open as he fell out in his desperate bid to escape the image he saw in the mirror. Crawling along the rain soaked ground with his fingernails reaching into any crack in the tarmac he sobbed bitterly as his mind fought to comprehend what had just happened. He tried to get to his feet but slipped and he landed face down on the road. The impact seemed to stop him then and there. He sat up on the road, his clothes now positively drenched in the rain and began to rock back and fore, softly sobbing.

"What's happening to me?"

There was no one around who could answer him. Across the harbour a ship seemed to look on at him as if silently laughing. Adorning the gang plank to the vessel were the words 'HMAS Amberley'.


	19. Old Friends

CAIRNS  
1940hrs

"Buffer!"

The voice carried across the crowded bar like an arrow fired from an Olympic level archer. It traveled relentlessly until it met up with Buffer and Nikki as they entered the bar that was the usual haunt of the crew of the HMAS Hammersley. The source of the voice traveled behind it ambushing the two new arrivals before they barely had time to get both feet through the doorway.

"Hello 2Dads," sighed Buffer as he found himself enveloped by the arms of the rather intoxicated sailor. Breaking away from the embrace 2Dads stood beside Buffer like a brother and announced to the room, "Back where you belong!"

Buffer was a mixture of both frustration and embarrassment at the lack of decorum he was being shown by the junior sailor from his former vessel. Yet as he looked over at the old crew who all sat in the corner of the room he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He felt like he was home and was thrilled to see all of them once again. Even to see 2Dads - although he would never admit it. Escorted by the unofficial Hammersley welcoming committee, Buffer and Nikki walked over to what was now being referred to as the Hammersley table and squeezed in between Robert 'RO' Dixon and Charge.

"Hello Buff," beamed Bomber. "Back where you belong hey?"

"Too right," replied Buffer as he was handed a beer by Swain and then toasted his former crew.

"What happened mate?" asked Swain indicating to Buffer's broken nose.

"I fell," said Buffer. As he watched him answer, Swain couldn't help but notice that he looked away as he spoke. Having been a Police officer he knew the tell-tale signs that indicated someone was hiding something from him. Buffer picked up on Swain's glare and returned a look that silently asked for his friend of several years to simply let it go. Swain just smiled an acknowledgement before taking his seat beside Bomber.

"Where's the Boss and McGregor?" asked Nav.

"I did pass along the message to Flynn," said RO as if he were being accused of not doing so. Nobody said much more about it for it was not uncommon for either Mike Flynn or Kate McGregor to be absent at such social events. Despite the reduced formality that existed amongst patrol boat crews this was still the Navy and senior officers had to maintain a certain distance from those who served underneath them or risk losing their objectivity. No one could testify more to the logic of this belief than Nikki Caetano.

The conversation soon turned to simply catching up with what had been happening with both groups that made up the crew of HMAS Hammersley. For the shore based group their time seemed to have been spent training with RHIBs in the harbor so that their boarding skills didn't deteriorate while their vessel was in for modifications to make it seaworthy again. It was all routine stuff and it surprised several of those not serving on HMAS Amberley that those that were didn't seem to want to talk about their experiences much. To them, the routine training that 2Dads, Bomber, Swain and RO were doing seemed to take on such an importance that they were almost deliberately trying to avoid speaking of the Amberley. It took the persistence of one particular sailor, however, to get them to speak.

"So come on!" said 2Dads almost pleading for an answer. "What happened? I hear Amberley is a bit of a babe magnet. Ooops! Sorry I meant _boat_ magnet." 2Dads erupted into a burst of obnoxious laughter but to his own surprise no one joined in with him. They had all heard what had happened in the Arafura Sea. It had made the news on at least two television channels and appeared in several newspapers and magazines. Journalists all over Australia where looking for a bite of the juicy story that was the faulty Armidale-class patrol boats and Amberley's collision had provided them with another helping of this already tragic story. 2Dads eyes searched for someone who was grinning along with him but found no one and so his curling lips lowered and he rather sheepishly lifted his bottle of beer to his lips.

No one joined in with the laughter because they were all thinking the same thing. They were worried about what would happen to their former XO, Kate McGregor. Everyone knew the golden rule of command - no matter what happens aboard your ship it is your responsibility. Many of those who have never experienced command have their own thoughts about the relevance of such a rule. Those who have, however, know that when something does go wrong it is often perceived as a reflection of their own negligence regarding command of their vessel.

* * *

The rain lashed against the windows of the small home as the sky darkened through a mix of heavy grey cloud and a sun falling behind the horizon. Mike Flynn stood in the kitchen preparing a dinner for two. He kneeled down and opened his oven in order to check on the small portion of lamb that was cooking nicely inside. Pleased with its progress he closed the oven before standing back upright and walking over to the fridge. He took out a bottle of red wine and carried it along with two wine glasses into the main living room and placed them down on the dining table. The tinted glass table was arranged rather elegantly with two plates sitting opposite to one another. The wine glasses completed the scene and so he picked up the bottle once more and began to twist a corkscrew into the top. With a gentle popping sound the bottle opened and was quickly followed by the sound of the front doorbell. Mike instinctively began to walk to the door before realizing he still had the wine in his hand and so he placed in the centre of the table to allow it to breath.

He quickly made his way to the door knowing the rain outside was coming down heavily and the last thing he wanted was for his guest to spend the evening in wet clothes. He opened the door to find Kate McGregor standing there in a long and rather wet beige raincoat that covered her body from her shoulders to her knees.

"Quick!" said Mike smiling with mild amusement as he stood aside to allow her in. As he closed the door he saw a taxi pulling away from the front of his house, the hard landing rain bouncing from its body. With the door closed he turned towards Kate who was now removing the soaked jacket. Mike couldn't help but stare at the transformation that was taking place before him. With the jacket removed Kate now stood there in an attractive pink sleeveless dress that hugged her features enticingly. It was as if she had arrived as a Caterpillar and was now a Butterfly and Mike remembered why he had fallen in love with her four years ago.

It was always the same whenever he would first see her after a little while apart. Their time aboard Hammersley had largely subdued the romantic feelings that they once had for each other but on occasion he was reminded of why he had risked everything for her back at ADFA – the Australian Defence Force Academy.

"I can't get over this rain," she laughed as she handed him her coat which he placed on the coat hooks hanging beside the door. Immediately he felt a sharp pain of guilt for allowing the romantic feelings to momentarily resurface. She was a now friend and a colleague and he couldn't allow it to be anymore than that, particularly now as her career hung in the balance over the incident with the Darwin Explorer and any scandal would surely end her career.

"I know it-just came out of nowhere didn't it," he said trying to find some ground for a conversation. A small part of him giggled inside as he felt like a nervous teenager again, trying to get the attention of the most popular girl in school. With the coat now hanging up he turned to greet her properly and she reached up and kissed him, politely, on his left cheek. It was a moment of discomfort for Mike Flynn but it quickly passed and he put himself back in the proper frame of mind. As he guided her into the living room he wondered if it would always be like this after they had been apart for a little while.

"Something smells good," she said as the aroma of a lamb dinner entered the room and filled her nostrils.

"I hope so," said Mike as he pulled out a chair for her to sit down at the table. "Wine?"

"Um, sure why not? We're not on duty," joked Kate. As Mike picked up the bottle to begin filling her glass for her he could sense that her little joke disguised a genuine feeling of jubilation that she wasn't on duty. This new aspect of the workaholic Kate McGregor surprised Mike somewhat and he assumed that whatever had happened at sea during her short time in command of Amberley must have affected her worse than he first thought.

"How are you feeling?" he asked referring to the previous day when he had her crying on his shoulder at NAVCOM.

"Better," she replied almost in a whisper. "I guess everything just got on top of me and…" Kate's words seemed to fade away.

"So Kate McGregor is human after all," smiled Mike as he sat opposite her.

"Looks that way," she said joining in with the little joke. The two of them toasted one another and each took a drink from their glasses. "How is Hammersley?"

"Well, the work to repair the fault in the ventilation system is all but completed. That was always going to take priority. Now the Navy has decided that since the Armidales are in dry dock anyway they might as well start work on the upgrades they were planning to do next year. I seem to spend quite a bit of time down there keeping an eye on what's going on. It's always a weird thing to see a patrol boat suspended thirty feet in the air."

"You should see it when it is a frigate!" said Kate matter-of-factly.

"Yea I bet," added Mike. The small talk was replaced by an uncomfortable silence that seemed to have come in through the front door with Kate. It seemed to appear whenever one of them had answered a question from the other. Both of them could sense that the conversation thus far had been quite forced and that the evening was proving difficult to get started.

Kate knew that it was her that was holding them back. The prospect of the preliminary investigation hung over her like a dark cloud that subdued her otherwise bright and lively face. Her voice was silent but her aura was screaming for help.

"Have you spoke to Marshall?" asked Mike deciding to tackle the subject head on.

"Not since yesterday," replied Kate taking another sip of the wine to help put her at ease about talking on the subject. "He wants me to get my head cleared before the investigation team is put together." Mike watched as Kate's eyes became fixed on the neck of the glass in her hands.

"Kate!" he blurted as if to snap her out her self imposed hypnotic trance. She pulled her eyes away and looked up at him. "I know it's easy for me to say this but I wouldn't worry about it. It was a mechanical fault. It could have happened to anyone."

"I was in command!" she protested as the emotion seemed to bubble in her chest. "It's my responsibility. It was all my responsibility!"

"_All?_" interjected Mike quizzingly.

"Morales. The FFV getting away from us. Sending Coast Watch on a wild goose chase for a…a ghost on the radar screen."

Mike sat there listening to Kate listing everything that she felt she was responsible for. It was the same list she had gone over with him the previous day at NAVCOM. She had become a sponge for taking the blame and he felt that if someone had forgotten to brush their teeth onboard Amberley she would feel it was her responsibility.

"Kate!" he interjected. "Listen to me carefully. The investigators are only interested in what happened with the Darwin Explorer. All those other things are just, just plain old bad luck. It could happen to anyone. This was your first time in command, _properly_ in command. It's only natural that you're going to feel this way. Take it from me, the first time you take the reigns yourself and something goes wrong you're going to beat yourself up about it no matter how big or how trivial it is. Amberley was never meant to go back to sea. It was meant to spend the rest of its days rusting out in the States somewhere so there's bound to be problems with it."

As he finished speaking he looked down and realized that at some point during his speech his right hand had found its way across the table and was resting in her left palm. The uncomfortable feeling in the room was suddenly back but it had taken on a new and infinitely more difficult atmosphere. The romantic flame that once existed in them at ADFA was sparking once more and both of them were silently trying to subdue to it.

"I better check on dinner," said Mike getting to his feet.

"Better had, Pete," said Kate. A jolt of electricity shot through Kate's heart. Mike stood beside the table looking down at her with a sly grin at the slip of her tongue. He failed to notice the horror that was consuming her as the realization hit her that she was experiencing that flame again that she once felt with Mike but it wasn't for him any longer. Now when she felt that flame burning inside her there was only one person that fuelled it. Peter Tomaszewski – Buffer.

* * *

Rebecca 'Bomber' Brown stood at the bar waiting for the round she had just ordered to be made ready by the barman. Drinking rounds with a patrol boat crew can be an expensive affair due to the number involved but fortunately it usually only ever comes around once a night. After about eighteen rounds of various drinks there are few crewmembers who can even remember what ship they're on let alone anything else. A long standing joke in the armed forces the world over was that 'dog tags' were invented so that in a drunken stupor a soldier didn't inadvertently defect to the other side overnight.

"That'll be forty two dollars," said the barman tallying up. Rebecca's only consolation as she opened her purse was that the next round was on 2Dads, a man whose wallet seemed to be cemented shut.

"Someone's thirsty," noted a voice coming from a rather lanky looking man who had just appeared at the bar beside her.

"They're not all for me," said Bomber smiling profusely as she went to lift up the tray after paying the barman. "I'm here with a few friends I haven't seen for a while."

"Uni friends?" asked the man.

"Not quite," said Bomber politely hinting that she wasn't interested in talking to him anymore. She began to lift the heavy tray of glasses and bottles but found that the stranger was insisting on helping. "Thanks, I got it."

"Oh come on," persisted the man. "Let me help with that."

"It's fine really," said Bomber whose temper was now beginning to flare.

"She said it's fine, Scooter!" interjected Spider who had seen what was happening and had quickly come to Bomber's aid.

"Well, well, well Billy Webb," chanted Scooter. "I didn't figure you for the chivalrous type."

Spider smiled in a way so as to annoy Scooter by hinting he knew something that the Kingston sailor did.

"Bomber Brown," said Spider. "Meet Scooter. Formerly of the HMAS Kingston. Scooter, this is Bomber Brown from the HMAS…" Spider leaned forward and said in a smug sort of way, "_Hammers-ley."_

A cold chill prickled down Scooter's neck at the mere mention of the name Hammersley. Suddenly in the corner of his eye he spied a rather large group of people enjoying a drink together. Amongst them were Buffer and Charge who, along with several others he didn't know, had taken an interest in what was happening at the bar. Knowing he would lose this round Scooter simply walked away feigning an arrogant smile that didn't fool anyone.

Retreating to a corner of the bar Scooter watched as Spider and Bomber returned to their group. With rage simmering inside him he watched as the group suddenly roared with laughter and he could have sworn he saw Spider looking at him as if he were the butt of some joke.

_They're laughing at you._

The apparently detached thought in his head seemed to echo like it was being screamed at him from inside a cave. The thought seemed to take root in his mind like a weed that was feeding on his emotions and were demanding action. He waited with his drink for several minutes until he saw that Spider was getting up and going to the toilet.

_He's laughing at you. You know what to do._

Being careful to use the crowded barroom for cover so that none of the Hammersley crew saw him, Scooter began making his way towards the toilet with his bottle in his hand. His breathing seemed to deepen as he prepared himself for what he was planning to do. As discretely as he could he checked that he wasn't being watched by the Hammersley crew who were still enjoying themselves at their table before walking into the toilets behind Spider.

Spider stood at the urinal oblivious to everything that was going on in the toilets or outside at the bar except for the sea of voices that emanated through the wall. He had failed to notice that the only other person in the toilet when he had come in had now left and that he had been alone for the better part of a minute.

Finishing his business he zipped up his jeans and turned around to wash his hands. He heard a loud crashing sound on the side of his skull coupled with an immense impact that threw him to the floor. His senses struggled to find clarity but the impact along with the generous helping of alcohol he had consumed prior to entering the toilet was clouding everything.

Scooter looked down at the pitiful sight of the man he had just assaulted with his now smashed and jagged bottle. A momentary burst of guilt rushed over him but it was quickly replaced the detached thoughts in his head as it began to repeat over and over again _Do it! Do it! DO IT!_

As if fearing the consequences of not obeying his own thoughts Scooter kneeled down beside Spider and carried out what he had come to do_._


	20. Slipping Away

Spider had never felt so cold in his life.

Everything around him was a blur. He could feel himself being lifted and he was sure he was being carried somewhere. There was a roar of voices around him each at different tones. Some were calm while others were in a near hysterics. He was sure they were familiar but he couldn't place any of them. It was as if they were miles away and yet he knew they were only a few feet away. Through the numbness he could feel his left hand being squeezed so tightly that it felt as though it were locked into a vice. There was suddenly a burst of light as he felt himself lifted inside something. One voice seemed to break through the confusion. He was sure it was the voice from the person who was squeezing his hand. It was calling his name, not his Christian name, but the name he been known as for so long - 'Spider'.

"Spider! Please wake up!" Nikki's voice wailed in the back of the ambulance at the young man lying on the stretcher bleeding from the wounds in his abdomen. The paramedic had to force her hand away from his as she sat on the bench opposite. It was preventing him from getting access to him and in Spider's condition every second counted. His abdomen was covered in oily red blood that oozed from several gashes across his front. Freed from Spider, she threw her hands to her head and buried her face in them as if to not see him would make it all go away.

Outside the ambulance one voice dominated all the others. Buffer was screaming at Charge. His head had turned a bright red from the intensity of his anger. In all the years Charge had known him he had never seen his friend and colleague this furious as he repeated the same words over and over, "You know who did this!"

"Ma'am?" called Swain standing just outside the rear doors of the ambulance. Nikki lifted her head and looked at him. He stared back at her with a white and almost horror stricken face. After a few rather long moments he signaled to the right side of her face. Streaks of blood lay across her cheek. It was the blood that had come from Spider's hand and she quickly tried to brush it away with her hand but it only spread it further. "Ma'am, the Police are here."

"C-Can you deal with them?" she sobbed. "I'm going to go with him." Swain just nodded understandingly before turning to leave as one of the paramedics closed the doors behind him before proceeding around to the driver's side door. Just a few short seconds later the vehicle started and it quickly pulled away with sirens blaring.

Swain and the rest of the group stayed in the car park to the club while the Police questioned each of them separately. Swain, Bomber and Charge had all mentioned the encounter with 'Scooter' at the bar but when the Police went looking for 'Scooter' he was nowhere to be seen - nor was Buffer!

* * *

Fear! Fear is merely a word that fails to do justice to the emotion it tries to convey. If anyone understood the true meaning of the word fear that night it was Scooter. After he had attacked Spider in the toilet he had tried to walk out of the pub as calmly as he could so as not to avoid suspicion but deep down he was fighting a powerful urge to run. His legs seemed to be filled with electricity and as soon as he felt it was safe to do so they began to speed up as if of their own free will. He didn't know where he was running to. It didn't matter. He just needed to run in order to burn off the energy that had built up inside. Through darkened streets and alleyways he ran oblivious to anyone or anything that saw him.

Rounding a corner that lead to a nearby car park, a CCTV camera perched high above the road turned and observed his movements. The experienced operator of the camera had learned to spot the difference between someone who was running because they were late and someone who was trying to get away from something. His movement had been logged and recorded.

His legs had never known such energy as they seemed to carry him onward and onward. He soon left the shopping district and found himself running through the familiar smell of sea air as he made his way to the harbour.

He suddenly stumbled down a set of steps made wet by the rain that had dominated the afternoon. In a blurry and confusing fall he found himself hitting the ends of the steps and began rolling down them. He rolled over twice until he stopped at the bottom. Instinctively, he reached up for his right shoulder and held it. It was throbbing from impacting into the steps and the pain had now snapped him out of his crazed escape from the crime he had committed.

Lying on the ground at the bottom of the steps he began to sob as he was forced to confront the enormity of what he had done. Until tonight he had never believed himself able to do such a thing but sure enough the blood that had sprayed from Spider's wound glistened on his jacket providing all the evidence he ever needed for him to know it was true.

As he continued to cry in the damp sea air that filled the night he fought to regain the clarity of thought that he had experienced leading up to the attack. When he was walking towards his victim he had felt so focused and sure of what was happening. The only way he could describe it was as if he were somehow being reassured by someone that it was the right thing. Now, however, he was an emotional mess. His thoughts had become a minefield and the wrong one would see his brain explode. He tried avoiding certain thoughts but they all lead back to one thing – he was a murderer.

The sound of footsteps walking down the steps echoed towards him. Startled by the presence, Scooter felt the urge to run return to his legs and he jumped to his feet before continuing in his headlong rush to nowhere.

* * *

CAIRNS BASE HOSPITAL  
2155hrs

Nikki sat in the hospital waiting room staring at an invisible spot on the adjacent wall. The streaks of Spider's blood on her cheek and hands had dried and her skin felt tight as a result but she didn't really notice it. Although she knew it was selfish, her thoughts were actually on Josh 'ET' Holiday and not Spider. She couldn't help but draw the contrast to the day she found his body washed up on the shore. Josh was more than a shipmate. He was her lover and therefore her family. Spider had come to feel like family to her and everyone else aboard the Hammersley. He was everyone's 'little brother' and that's exactly how she felt at this moment. Blinking for what felt like the first time in hours she silently prayed that she wouldn't have to bury another of her 'Navy family'.

"Nikki!"

She looked to the left from where the voice had called her name to find Kate running towards her with a tear filling her eyes. The two of them rushed to embrace one another, holding each other tightly for the comfort that comes from another person. Looking up from Kate's shoulder she could see Mike Flynn talking with the receptionist at the front desk.

"Swain called us," explained Kate as she released her grip on Nikki and the two of them took a seat. "Have they said anything?"

Nikki wiped her eyes as she shook her head. "They took him straight into theatre. I haven't heard anything since then."

Mike joined them at that moment. Kate asked if the receptionist had told him anything new but unfortunately he had the same answer as Nikki.

"Who could do this?" asked Kate generally.

"It's a mad world," said Mike who seemed almost flabbergasted that someone could have done this to Spider.

"Scooter!" uttered Nikki.

"What?" asked Kate not sure that she had heard him right.

"There was an incident of sorts," explained a still teary Nikki. "Charge said his name was Scooter."

"Scooter?" asked Mike.

"He's a member of the Amberley crew," explained Kate. "My crew! What happened?"

"It was nothing," said Nikki. "He made a pass at Bomber and Spider told him she was from Hammersley and wasn't interested…or something like that. I'm not sure."

"Well that seems a pretty pathetic reason to stab someone!" blurted out Mike.

It was then that Kate spotted two Police officers walk upto the reception desk. After asking her a question the receptionist pointed in their direction and the two Police officers walked over.

"Excuse me," said one of them, a rather stocky man with pale skin and a bushy brown moustache. "Are you the group that came in with Billy Webb?"

"I-I came in with Spider, I mean Billy," said Nikki.

"I see," said the constable as he took out a notebook from his jacket. "I'd just like to get a few details from you if I could?"

"Haven't you spoke to Chris Blake, our Coxswain?" asked Mike. "He's an ex-cop."

"Yes we've spoken to Mr. Blake," explained the constable. "We've spoken to everyone except you and one Peter Tomaszewski. It's actually Mr. Tomaszewski we'd like to speak to you about?"

"What?" gasped Kate almost without thinking! "Why?"

"Well when we tried to interview him at the pub he was nowhere to be seen," explained the constable. "As we understand it he was quite upset over what happened."

"Peter Tomaszewski served with Billy Webb on the same ship for over three years!" shot Mike angrily. "Of course he was upset. We all are."

"And you are?" asked the constable seemingly annoyed at the interruption.

"Mike Flynn, I'm his former CO," said Mike who felt that Buffer was somehow being placed into the Police crosshairs, something that infuriated him.

"Well Mr. Flynn," said the constable as he seemed to suck in a rather large amount of air before continuing, "There seems to be a general consensus amongst your colleagues that a fellow crewmember was somehow involved in this incident. We are concerned that Mr. Tomaszewski may do something silly like try to take the law into his own hands."

"That is crap!" shot Mike furiously.

"I agree," said Kate but her voice betrayed her true feelings. Deep down she had images of Buffer pulverizing Scooter's skull. Buffer was a true professional when the uniform was on but underneath he was still a man – primal, emotional and right now probably blinded by rage.

Kate was sure that the constable had detected her uncertainty but before he could push on the surgeon interrupted them to give an update. The three officers braced themselves for the worst. Subconsciously both Kate and Nikki found themselves holding hands while Mike seemed to have stopped breathing while they waited for the doctor to speak.

"Any news on Billy Webb, doctor?" asked Mike finally.

The doctor nodded and said, "We've stopped the bleeding and managed to stabilize his condition. Right now we are patching up the damage which is going to take some creative work on our part. The trouble with glass attacks is that the uneven jagged edges means there's never a clean cut. He's not out of the woods yet but it looks good so far. He is responding well to treatment."

It took a few moments for the doctor's words to be fully assimilated. It was not the news they all wanted to hear exactly but it was good enough. As they sat silently for a few minutes Kate couldn't help but wonder the same question as the Police – _Where was Buffer?

* * *

_

Scooter slumped over the railing weeping heavily as he looked down at the sea crashing up against the pier. He could feel the waves hitting the supports beneath him with such force that it was as though they were angry at him simply for being there. He had broken the cardinal rule of a sailor; he had harmed a fellow crewmember and thus angered the Gods of the sea – Neptune, Orion and Poseidon. He of course knew that there were no Gods except in superstitious fairytales told by old sailors but at that moment he felt as though they really were angry with him, demanding he remove himself from their presence and their domain.

Scooter refused to budge. He simply held onto the railing as if to let go would see him sucked down into a whirlpool only he could see. His body had reached its physical end. The adrenalin that had powered him was now depleted and his body had become heavy and ached all over. His shoulder still pulsed from the injury he had sustained during the fall down the steps and it seemed to exacerbate feeling that he had come to the end of the road.

His eyes stayed fixed on the waves below as he became almost hypnotized by its movement. He began to imagine himself as just a small drop of water caught up in the sea. He imagined himself bobbing up and down on the waves totally out of control and therefore lacking the responsibility for anything he would have done as such.

Without recognizing it his mind was finding the clarity he was searching for. His spirit had detached from his body and he felt clean once more. In this state of mind he didn't hear the heavy footsteps walking up behind him.

The scream was heard by a fisherman perched nearby on the beach.


	21. Tides of Change

SATCHWELL RESIDENCE, CAIRNS

Jennifer Satchwell had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room waiting for her husband to come home. She had awoken several times during the night and had considered going up to bed but it didn't feel right not having him there even though this was something she was used to being a Navy wife. She had woken up once more for what seemed like the fifth time that night and looked over at the clock on top of the television. It was now fast approaching 6am and a blue early morning light was creeping through the break in the curtains.

She sat upright and leaned forward to rub her tired eyes. They stung bitterly at the contact her fingers were making against them and her whole body ached from a cocktail of exhaustion and the awkward position she had got herself into on the sofa. Holding her face in her hands she felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She had spent three hours of the previous evening phoning friends and family who might have seen Matt since he had left after his outburst but unfortunately it amounted to nothing. Out of desperation she contacted the Police who proved less than helpful demanding that he be missing for over twenty four hours before they would do anything. It felt hopeless and all she was left to do was to wait for him to come home.

She shuddered suddenly as a cold prickly feeling danced on the back of her neck. A gentle yet cold breeze had grazed her skin and she turned to look for the source. It was coming from out in the hallway and she felt compelled to investigate its source. Lifting her aching body to its feet she seemed to walk awkwardly for several paces as her legs readjusted themselves to carrying out their basic function. Every step seemed forced as the breeze continued to taunt her as it now landed on her face in gentle and inconsistent gusts.

Stepping into the hallway she looked to the right and to her amazement the front door was wide open. A million possibilities ran through her mind. They ranged from the benign; she had somehow forgotten to lock it, to the frightening possibility that there was an intruder in the house. The hairs on the back of her neck rose in a burst of paranoia. Unsure whether or not she was alone she walked almost sideways to the door to keep her back to the wall and thus allow her to watch for anyone who might try and sneak up on her. As she reached the door she peered out hoping to find the car parked outside meaning Matt had come home and left the door open. It wasn't there.

Jennifer's breathing quickened. Adrenalin filled her veins giving her a surge of energy but she didn't seem to have any real outlet for it. A part of her wanted to run next door and call for help but she knew that she would look quite foolish if it turned out to be nothing. As silly as it sounded she feared looking foolish more than she did the possibility of an intruder.

There was only one thing for it. She was going to have to search the house herself. She began looking around for a possible weapon she could use. She had no intention of attacking anyone but just the possibility was enough to give her the courage to begin moving around her own home. She considered using an umbrella that sat perched up against the wall near the door but its bright yellow and red colouring was hardly intimidating. With that in mind she began to make her way slowly towards the kitchen keeping her back firmly up against the wall as she tried to keep her eyes on the door and the stairs at the same time.

She stepped into the kitchen and rushed to the drawer next to the sink. Opening it, she quickly removed a long bread knife and held it out defensively as she began to make her way back into the hall. Even in her heightened state she knew that the bread knife was hardly a dangerous weapon but she could at least threaten someone with it.

Keeping the door open to allow an intruder easy escape she slowly began to climb the stairs. Every step was controlled and slow so as not to make a noise that might alert anyone to her presence before she was ready. As her head reached the level of the next floor she peered through the gaps in the banister to see if anyone was there.

"What are you doing?"

With her senses sharper than the edge of her bread knife the voice startled her to the point where she recoiled back and landed quite hard against the wall. Trying desperately to catch her breath she looked over towards the bedroom and found Matt standing in the doorway. She gripped her chest as her heart fought for control of its beats and it took her a few seconds to compose herself properly.

Matt on the other hand was quite calm. He stood in the doorway to their bedroom staring at her with an expressionless face and eyes that seemed somehow misplaced from the rest of his body although Jennifer couldn't quite understand it.

"I thought you were a burglar or something," she explained half breathlessly.

Matt didn't seem to flinch. It was as if he didn't care. He merely continued to stand there staring down at her on the stairs.

"I'm sorry," he said monotonously.

"Where's the car?" she asked.

"At the harbour."

"Well…Why is it there?" she asked as the emotion of fear subsided to be replaced by a rising feeling of anger towards him for scaring her like this. He didn't answer. The two of them continued to stare at each other for several moments. He seemed to adamantly refuse to engage in conversation and Jennifer put this down to a result of their last encounter in the kitchen. Maybe he was ashamed? Looking at him it didn't feel like that was it. She couldn't place it exactly. In fact she didn't seem to recognize her husband at all. It certainly was him physically but her instincts were setting off alarm bells telling her to be on her guard.

Finally she could take the silence no longer and so she asked in her loving way, "Where have you been all night long?"

"Walking."

"Where?" she asked.

"Just…Walking."

She was about to ask him again when he turned and walked coldly back into the bedroom leaving his wife standing still on the stairs. She was about to follow him up when she remembered the door was still open so she quickly ran back downstairs to lock it before going back up. She placed the bread knife on the window sill at the top of the stairs before following him into the bedroom.

Strewn out across the bed was Matt's white Royal Australian Navy uniform. Matt sat on the edge of the bed with the hat in his hand. His eyes looked down at the crown and feathers that were emblazoned across the front as though it were somehow unfamiliar to him. Reinforcing what his eyes could see he ran his fingers across the front to feel its rough texture. The edges of his lips suddenly curled upward as though he were telling himself some private joke.

"Is everything alright?" she asked him. "Are…Are we ok?"

Her question interrupted his train of thought and he put the hat down on the bedside table. He then turned to face her and replied unemotionally, "Of course." He stood up in a brisk movement that seemed to make Jennifer jump with unease before he began to put the uniform onto the small chair adjacent to their bed. Once he was done he turned to her and said, "I have a long day today. I need to get some sleep."

As he looked at Jennifer he indicated for her to join him. A few minutes later she lay in bed with him, her head resting on his shoulder. He held her as he always had done ever since they had begun dating almost seven years ago and yet it felt different this time. The whole act seemed uncomfortable as if there was some force trying to push her away from him.

Although it wasn't the ideal situation Jennifer was, at least, thankful that her husband was home and was safe. She chalked the whole thing up to stress at work and tried to leave it at that.

* * *

NAVCOM, CAIRNS

0915hrs

Kate's tired face seemed to droop of its own accord as she walked the steps upto the NAVCOM building. She had been at the hospital with Mike and Nikki until Spider's adoptive parents showed up at about midnight. Kate noted the fear in their eyes that transcended the fact that he was not their biological son. Even if he had been she doubted that his mother could have cried any harder than she did. Kate had managed to get an hour or so of sleep before she had to report to NAVCOM. She had tried to cover the bags that had formed under her eyes with make up but they stubbornly refused to magically disappear as the commercials had always promised.

It was not long before she made her way to Commander Marshall who was busy in the Operations Room with yet another FFV intercept in the Arafura Sea. As his eyes passed over her he suddenly stopped talking to the Captain of HMAS Advance and took off his wireless headset before rushing towards her.

"Kate!" he said acknowledging her before she had time to say anything. "Come with me!" There seemed an inherent urgency in his voice and she followed him into his office so they could talk privately. Kate feared that he had been informed that Spider had taken a turn for the worse while she had been asleep and so she braced herself for the news.

"Kate, have you been informed of what happened last night with regards to Able Seaman Andrews?"

Kate's eyebrows narrowed as she stood stunned at the fact that after Spider being glassed in a bar he wanted to talk about Scooter? Then she remembered that there was suspicion being cast on him for what happened.

"No sir," she replied allowing him to explain rather than come up with her own theories.

Marshall inhaled a rather hefty amount of air before explaining, "His body was pulled out of the sea this morning by a fisherman. At first they thought he had fallen off the pier but when the cops got there they found that he had received a blow to the back of the head before he went in."

Kate felt the ground tremble beneath her. She knew exactly what Marshall was getting at. It appeared that someone had killed Scooter and as the thought tore a hole in her mind she drew only one possible conclusion; it was Buffer who had done it. It made sense. He had the motive for doing it and the Police were looking for him because he disappeared before he could be asked any questions. Even if he didn't have anything to do with it his actions outside the club had at least put him in the light as the prime suspect.

"Kate, I have to ask this," explained Marshall carefully. "While onboard the Amberley did anyone seem to have any grudge against Andrews?"

"No sir," she explained truthfully. "He had his moments but nothing to that extent."

"Ok," he said before asking what she was thinking. "With regards to what happened to Able Seaman Webb last night at the club; I know that there was a belief that Andrews was somehow involved. With that in mind do you know anyone who might have decided to get some sort of pay back?"

"_We are concerned that Mr. Tomaszewski may do something silly like try to take the law into his own hands."_

The Police constable's words from the hospital echoed in her mind. Marshall had noticed that her eyes had broken away from his as she turned in thought. Realizing she was taking too long to answer she turned back and seemed to blurt out the word, "No!"

"Right," said Marshall hinting that he knew it was a lie. "Well the cops are going to want to have a word with everyone at the club and everyone who was on Amberley including yourself."

"Understood sir," she said.

"Very well Lieutenant Commander, dismissed!" Kate turned to leave the room but before she could open the door Marshall called out, "Oh and uh, Kate!" She turned to look at him. "If you do have any _revelations _about who might be involved, you won't be doing them any favours by covering for them."

Kate didn't know what to say. She simply nodded and stepped out of his office with Marshall's accusing eyes boring into the back of her neck. After getting back outside the NAVCOM building she walked off to the side and took her phone out of her pocket. She accessed her phonebook and selected 'BUFFER'.

Holding the phone up to her head she heard the dial tone before Pete's rather awkward voice saying, "Hi it's Pete, I'm not able to…Oh you know what to do." There was a sudden beeping sound for her to begin recording her message.

"Pete, it's Kate!" She seemed to stop as she noticed the desperation in her voice. She tried to tell herself that she was acting as his CO and she knew she had to maintain her professionalism. "Buffer, when you get this, call me. It's urgent!"

She ended the call and put her phone back into her pocket. The exhaustion in her body had gone, replaced by an overwhelming restlessness. She knew she had duties to perform today, Amberley having been considered repaired and training was supposed to resume, and yet they seemed unimportant to her now. In all likelihood the training would be cancelled anyway after what had happened but still the fact remained that her judgement was being clouded by her emotional involvement in this whole affair.

* * *

THE SAMARU ISLANDS

The capital city was rocked by the blast that rang out into the early morning air. It was followed by a series of loud popping sounds that sounded like someone walking on bubblewrap packaging. Children being readied for school were suddenly dragged indoors by terrified parents who had become all too familiar with the sounds of gunfire that were enveloping the city.

Before long, Toyota pick up trucks were screeching through the streets with armed men and even young boys riding in them shooting at Police officers and the United Nations aid workers unlucky enough to have been out of the main compound that morning.

At approximately O835hrs local time (0935hrs in Cairns) a pair of Australian Army Black Hawk helicopters escorted by French Tiger attack helicopters swooped in over the city in an attempt to rescue the besieged Samaruan President. Heavy gunfire forced them to abandon their effort.

At 0950hrs local time the announcement was broadcast across all the world's major news networks. The Samaruan President was dead! The Country had once again descended into civil war.


	22. Answers & Opinions

NAVCOM, CAIRNS  
1135hrs

Commander Marshall's headache had increased ten fold in the last two hours. He stood in his office with a glass of mineral water and a pair of paracetamol tablets after having just had a rather lengthy conversation with the Defence Minister over the phone about the current situation in the Samaru Islands. He threw the two tablets into his mouth and gulped down the water allowing the fluids to carry them down his throat and into his system. Putting the glass down he waited for the painkillers to take effect before he was going to return to the Operations Room and get started. He only wished he had 'idiot strength' painkillers on hand because that's exactly what he needed.

The uprising in the Samaru Islands could not have come at a worse time for the Royal Australian Navy. The bulk of the surface fleet's frigates were either committed to operations in the Persian Gulf or in port undergoing refit before returning to the Middle East. Therefore it was left to the patrol boats to enforce the blockade that the Australian and French governments wanted to establish around the islands to prevent insurgents from bringing in weapons from East Timor and Papa New Guinea. The first of the newly refitted Armidales, including HMAS Hammersley and HMAS Kingston, would take several days to get ready to sail north to the islands. There was a real fear that by then the islands would have fallen and so Marshall was left with no choice but to commit his force of "Dad's Navy" patrol boats as the press had called them. This in itself was a problem because even with the retired boats being brought back into service as well as the three vessels loaned from the US Coast Guard the patrol boat force was still only at around 70% strength at any given time.

Marshall felt as though he had said this to the Defence Minister a thousand times and yet it had failed to go in. The Prime Minister had demanded that NAVCOM prepare every vessel it could spare to sail to the islands within 48 hours. The Defence Minister merely passed along the message and he stubbornly refused to raise the issues with the Prime Minister that Marshall had pointed out no doubt in an effort to look good to his boss.

Although it was going to be hard work Marshall had already formulated a plan in his head. He currently had three vessels out in the Arafura Sea on regular patrol duties. He was going to have these three sail to the Samaru Islands and have the boats currently in port replace them. In the meantime Customs and Coast Watch was going to have to pick up the slack. It was an embarrassment to Marshall and his team but he had little choice.

Of the boats currently in port one had a rather large question mark hanging over it; HMAS Amberley. The contractors hired to repair the vessel had given it the green light and it was ready to go. The old design meant it was a relatively easy job of repairing it unlike the infinitely more sophisticated Armidales. The problem was the crew. They were in effect four people down from full strength. Lieutenant Commander Kate McGregor was under investigation regarding the collision with a civilian vessel as a result of a mechanical failure, hardly her fault and as he looked upon the situation with desperate eyes he was sure he could sweep away the problem by calling in a few favours. Although her first patrol as CO had gone badly she was still a competent officer and had substantial experience during the previous mission to the Samaru Islands. She would therefore be ideal in the interim.

Then there was the more serious matter of Webb and Andrews. Webb was still in a critical condition in the hospital and the investigation into Andrew's murder was just beginning and no doubt some of the crew of Amberley would have to answer a few questions from the Police. Although they were in the business of defending their nation's interests they were not above the law or suspicion. Depending on how the investigation went this presented yet another obstacle in his way.

Finally there was young Seaman Morales's attempt to commit suicide. She was almost certainly going to be pulled from sea duty until further notice. No matter how he tried to spin it the Amberley's crew were in a bad way. He had considered, albeit briefly, to pull the entire crew from the ship and replace them but it was not as simple as just putting in a new crew since they would have to be trained up on the unique qualities of the Amberley and that would take time. Nevertheless he was going to have to replace three people on that ship one way or another.

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY

Kate stood at the end of the gang plank which bore the ship's name across the side. She looked up at the vessel for the first time in over two days and felt as though she was climbing back onto a rather big horse from which she had just fallen quite hard. She knew it was silly but for the first time she felt quite intimidated by her own ship. It sat alongside the dock silently mocking her and beckoning her to come back aboard. It was only as she saw two sailors belonging to the HMAS Warnambool docked nearby walking towards her that she finally began to board her ship. She smartly saluted to the left as a sign of respect to the flag before stepping onto the deck.

The ship was all but empty of people. Charge had arrived early that morning to inspect the work that been carried out on the ship and was hidden away in the engine room like an ogre under a bridge. She began to tour the ship to refamiliarize herself with it although it wasn't really necessary. The mental picture she had obtained from her first voyage as CO was still fresh in her memory but the feeling she had gotten from the ship had changed dramatically. The atmosphere was anything but friendly. Even the walls inside the ship seemed to be toying with her emotions and she felt considerable unease at the prospect of taking the ship to sea once more.

Finally she made it to the bridge. Looking out at the Bofors gun on the foredeck her mind cast back to the night the Amberley collided with the civilian boat. It was one of the worst nights of her life and it was still clear in her memory as though it had only happened a few seconds ago.

Sitting in the Captain's chair she suddenly remembered Buffer and reached into her pocket for her phone. She looked down on the small LCD screen and to her dismay it showed that she had zero messages or missed calls. Disheartened, she returned the phone to her pocket and seemed to slump in her chair.

With everything that was happening in her life at this very moment circulating around her head like some crazy washing machine she began to feel quite unwell. She hadn't eaten anything all morning and the thought of food made her want to vomit. It was as she began to concentrate on keeping what little was in her stomach down that she heard the faint sound of a familiar voice coming from outside through an open window.

"Here you go. Cheers mate."

Kate jumped to her feet and went running to the open window on the port side of the bridge that overlooked the dock. Much to the relief of her badly beaten nerves, there was Buffer in his Navy whites standing on the dock apparently switching his mobile phone on. A taxi was driving away leaving him and his rucksack alone alongside the docked warship. He hadn't noticed her yet since he was clearly waiting for his phone to switch on properly. Nor had he noticed the plain blue Ford Falcon that was coming to a stop behind him.

The doors of the car swung open and two men in grey suits quickly made their way over to Buffer. A third man got out of the car after them and Kate saw the familiar and quite unwelcome sight of Lieutenant Darryl Smith.

"Excuse me," said one of the men to Buffer. "Peter Tomaszewski?"

Kate saw Buffer turn his head and look at the three men before replying, "Yes?"

"I'm Inspector McElroy of the Queensland Police. We would like you to accompany us please."

"Please go with them Petty Officer," added Smith who seemed to take some delight in this whole affair with his former shipmate, Smith having been the XO of HMAS Hammersley before Kate took over. It was no secret that the two of them hadn't got on and the past hostility remained.

"Look what's this all about?" protested Buffer.

"We will explain everything down the station," said McElroy. Knowing that it was pointless to resist Buffer picked up his rucksack and followed them over to the car just as his phone beeped that it had finally received Kate's message. As he was guided to the back of the Ford Falcon Peter Tomaszewski turned to take one more look at the Amberley. He stopped as his eyes fell upon Kate's who was staring back at him from the bridge. The moment lasted only a second but it felt like years as the two of them silently conveyed an apology to one another. For him it was the fact that he had been stupid enough to leave himself open to suspicion. For her it was that she was powerless to help him.

She watched the Ford disappear across the harbor and it felt like she would never see Pete again. The thought of going to sea without him was bad enough but the thought that he may go to prison was worse. Whether he was guilty or not didn't seem relevant any longer. She could simply no longer stand the thought of a world without him.

* * *

AN HOUR LATER

Kate sat in the briefing room at NAVCOM staring blankly at the back of the chair in front of her as the other patrol boat Captains filed in one by one to take a seat. The room was arranged with five descending rows of eight chairs that allowed easy viewing of the large digital projector screen across the front wall. A small podium with a laptop that controlled the projector sat just off to the right of the screen. The room had no windows and the only natural light peering in came from the opened door at the rear of the room.

Kate was almost totally oblivious to everything that was going on around her while they waited for Marshall to arrive. In some ways it was a good thing since at least three of the other Captains were silently discussing her boat, the HMAS Amberley. On more than one occasion the boat's name had been used in conjunction with the word 'cursed'.

"Hey! You alright?"

Kate seemed to be snapped out of her blank gaze. She looked to the left and saw Mike Flynn taking a seat beside her and apparently eager for an answer. She simply nodded as politely as she could but could not muster any words. She hoped Mike wouldn't push her for an answer because the truth was she just couldn't take his sympathy at the moment. She was an emotional mix of anger and worry and she felt totally unbalanced. In her present condition she was unsure if she was going to explode or breakdown. Either way she knew she wasn't in the right frame of mind for this briefing and that worried her even more.

"Attention on deck!" Darryl Smith's voice carried across the room like a bad smell. He stood beside the door as Marshall walked in to a room filled with officers quickly getting to their feet in respect.

"Thank you. Please be seated!" said Marshall as he made his way to the front with Smith following behind in his shadow. There was a small murmur of rustling as the twelve Commanding Officers sat back down. Marshall made his way to the podium and switched on the laptop before activating the screen. The doors to the room were closed and outside a red light indicated that a briefing was in progress and that they were not to be disturbed. It took Marshall a few minutes to get set up properly. Once he was ready he stood before the assembled officers and made sure that everyone's watches were synchronized precisely, a common practice amongst the military.

"Ok, as I'm sure most of you are aware by now at approximately zero nine fifty Samaruan time the Samaruan president was killed in an uprising on the islands. Early indications are that this uprising has been funded and supported by a left wing militant group originating in South East Asia and who are supplying the rebels and the insurgents by sea via East Timor and Pap New Guinea. In a nutshell our job is going to be to cut off the supplies being brought through to the islands by sea."

Marshall continued on with the briefing. Kate listened but her thoughts about what was happening to Pete overlapped what Marshall was saying.

* * *

BARRY POLICE STATION

"Ok Mr. Tomaszewski. Let's run through this again shall we?"

Buffer sat across a small table from McElroy and his colleague who seemed to just sit there and stare at him with an arrogant smirk. Buffer wished the table was longer because he was getting more and more tempted to reach over and strangle one of them. Neither of them seemed interested in what he had to say. They were more interested in trying to break down his story which only frustrated him further. He had told them the truth three times now so there was nothing left to break down. Nevertheless McElroy insisted on repeating Buffer's statement one more time.

"After the attack on Mr. Webb instead of cooperating with Police on the scene you decide to run off after Mr. Andrews whom you believed was responsible for the attack on your friend. Yes?"

"It was not my smartest move," said Buffer rubbing the vein that was beginning to throb on his temple. "I wasn't thinking straight. My mate had just been glassed for Christ's sake."

"Tell me Mr. Tomaszewski," said McElroy who suddenly leaned back into his chair before continuing with his next question. "What would you have done if you had caught up with Mr. Andrews?"

"What?" asked Buffer annoyed.

"I said, what would you have done if you _had _caught up with Mr. Andrews?" repeated McElroy condescendingly.

"How can I answer that?" Buffer protested. "I don't know what I would have done!"

"You were angry?"

"Yes I was angry! But I wouldn't have killed anyone!" Buffer's breathing quickened as he felt the rage building back up inside. He fought to control his breathing in order to keep calm before continuing, "Look, it's like I said to you three-bloody-times now. I was angry and I wanted to find Scooter, I mean Andrews, but I couldn't find him anywhere. After about half an hour I met up with a colleague from my old ship, Rebecca Brown. She managed to calm me down and make me see sense. She persuaded me to go back to her place and let you guys deal with it."

"Are you in a relationship with Miss Brown?" asked McElroy.

Buffer's blood approached boiling point once more. "Not that it's any of your bloody business but no! I slept on the sofa. What kind of question is that?"

"A relevant one if she was going to _provide_ you with an alibi."

Buffer knew what that meant. Unintentionally he had now dragged Bomber into the cop's suspicion. He had to remedy this quickly.

"Look!" he said firmly and finally. "If you and 'smiler' over here are going to charge me then do so but leave Rebecca Brown out of this. She is not covering for me in anyway. I have done nothing wrong and I refuse to answer any more of these ridiculous questions. I have told you what happened and that's the end of it. There's nothing more to tell."

Buffer sat back and folded his arms indicating that there he was not prepared to say anymore. Had it been just him then he probably would have gone on fighting but now that Bomber was involved he had to make some sort of stand and put the ball in their court.

McElroy and his colleague terminated the interview and stepped outside to talk where Buffer couldn't hear them.

"Well?" asked his colleague.

"Bring in this Rebecca Brown and see if she can corroborate his story!" said McElroy.

"And if she does?"

"Then we're stuck," sighed McElroy frustratedly.

"Do you think he did it?" asked his colleague noting the tension in McElroy's voice.

"I don't know," replied McElroy who then turned to look at Buffer who was still sitting there with his arms folded. "I just don't know."

* * *

**AN – McElroy's character is to pay homage to Hal McElroy, the Executive Producer of "Sea Patrol" and my second favourite Australian drama, "Water Rats". He also worked with Lisa Mc Cune during her time on "Blue Heelers". **


	23. Old Faces, New People

HMAS AMBERLEY  
1330hrs

The crew of the Amberley had begun to muster aboard the vessel as the morning gave way to the early afternoon. There were mixed emotions among the remaining fourteen crewmembers depending on whichever ship they originally hailed from. Some were angry about the death of Scooter; naturally this was the general feeling amongst the Kingston crew, while the Hammersley crew's thoughts dwelled on their critically injured shipmate and the fate that awaited Buffer. The feelings seemed to channel through the ship's hull like electricity and there was a feeling that it would take only the slightest thing to spark a fire.

One person, however, seemed completely detached from this emotional turmoil that had engulfed the ship. Lieutenant Matt Satchwell boarded the Amberley in quite a calm and leisurely fashion. To the casual observer he gave off the air of someone out for a quiet stroll; not wanting to be disturbed and oblivious to all that was going on around him. For Satchwell, boarding the Amberley was akin to coming home. Just the mere surroundings of the vessel seemed to invigorate him in a way that his fellow Kingston shipmates had never seen before.

He strolled the deck first before making his way below down towards the galley, his fingers brushing against the wooden boarded walls of the ship as he went. Several of the crew including Fritz had passed him during his self guided 'tour' of the ship and tried to strike up a conversation mainly about Scooter and what was happening with Buffer but Satchwell would simply reply, "You just go about your duties. We'll know soon enough."

It was not long before he passed the unoccupied Captain's cabin, Kate still attending the briefing at NAVCOM. He walked passed the locked door without so much as a glance in its direction as he continued his way aft toward the stairwell leading down to the non-commissioned officer's racks and into the engine room. He had just reached the stairs when he heard a loud clicking sound behind him.

His foot stopped mid pace and hung in the air momentarily. He heard another clicking sound followed by the creaking of a door slowly opening as if caught in a draft from an open window. Satchwell looked over his right shoulder back up the corridor that led towards the galley before the stairwell that ascended to the bridge.

The door to Kate's cabin was now ever so slightly ajar. For most people in his position this would have been a confusing if not an unsettling experience but Satchwell didn't seem at all concerned. On the contrary he turned around and began to walk back up the corridor towards the now opened door.

With every step he took he felt an energy around him increasing in strength the closer he got to the door. Satchwell knew what this energy meant. It was as if he had prior experience of it and he continued his way to the cabin without the slightest hint of hesitation. He stopped just outside the door and reached out to open it with his left hand even though he had been right handed since childhood.

The door swung open on its hinges and Satchwell peered inside to confirm with his eyes what he already knew with his other senses. The figure inside the cabin was only a vague outline as it stared back at him. Its features were distorted and confused to look at but Satchwell seemed to know exactly who it was.

Satchwell and the apparition stood face to face as though two old acquaintances had just met for the first time in years and were uncertain how to react to one another. Satchwell's eyes looked up and down the almost pitiful sight of the entity that stood before him and suddenly the ends of his lips began to curl upwards into a cruel smile.

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else by now?" he asked the apparition.

The spirit responded angrily and like a child having a temper tantrum the door swung shut on Satchwell with such force that it blew a gust of wind across his face causing his eyelids to instinctively close. The sound of clicking rung out from the door as the cabin was locked from the inside once again.

Satchwell's smile faded as he turned to leave the cabin and continue his way through the ship. He was not even remotely troubled by the encounter.

* * *

ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER  
BOARDING PARTY EXERCISE

The team of five including Satchwell sat holding onto the sides of the RHIB as it cut through the water in the harbour. From the Amberley's bridge, Kate stared out of her high powered binoculars to watch the exercise unfolding. The Amberley was still moored to the wharf but that was no excuse to let standards fall. Training went on regardless and there was no shortage of boats to help out. Today they were boarding a fishing boat that was owned by a former Navy officer who was always happy to loan the vessel out on the condition that every year he received an invite to NAVCOM's Christmas party.

The fishing vessel was at anchor just outside the harbour. The five occupants of the RHIB felt the occasional splashing of the waves against their camouflaged coveralls as the RHIB hurtled its way through the water. Even in the calmest of weather traveling aboard a RHIB at high speed has often been described as like being beaten up from below.

Satchwell cradled his Steyr in his right arm like a new born baby while he held onto the RHIB with his left. They were each equipped with the assault rifle but none of them had any ammunition since this was only an exercise and their presence only served to add to the realism. While Fritz, Davies, Rawlings and Mangusta, who was steering the little craft, kept their focus of attention on the fishing vessel ahead of them Satchwell seemed to be more interested in them. Rawlings sat immediately opposite him and looked extremely uncomfortable amongst the other four all of whom were Kingston crew. The old rivalry that had existed between the two crews had gone and was now replaced by an angry bitterness for one another over the loss of Scooter and the wounding of Spider in the club.

"Alright get ready!" said Satchwell as they approached the rear of the thirty foot long sports boat. "Remember the rules of engagement when we board."

"Yea and don't shoot the umpire!" laughed Fritz to which Davies and Mangusta soon joined in.

The RHIB closed up on the rear of the vessel and Mangusta reduced the throttle on the single Yamaha outboard engine. As the RHIB came alongside the vessel it bumped against the fiberglass hull and this was the signal for them to begin boarding. Satchwell and Rawlings reached out for the hull of the boat and began to lift themselves over. No sooner had Rawlings began to leave the RHIB when he felt a strong force hit him in the side. The impact of Fritz shoving him aside to board the vessel threw off his balance and he fell back into the RHIB head first. Enraged, Rawlings turned over to see that except for Mangusta he was the only one left in the RHIB.

"Come on Rawlings!" roared Fritz who was looking back down at him with a very pleased expression on his face. Rawlings clambered back to his feet before trying to board the vessel once again. Without any interruption this time he made it over the railings and joined the rest of the boarding party.

There were two naval ratings aboard the vessel in civilian clothing who were pretending to be smugglers. Standing at the rear of the vessel in green coveralls and holding a clipboard and a stop watch in his hand was the umpire whose job was to monitor the exercise. He was an average sized man in his late thirties with short cut parting grey hair on his head. He had Lieutenant bars on his shoulders and the name sown across his chest was Mendelson.

"Australian Navy!" announced Satchwell firmly who began indicating for the two 'smugglers' to come towards him. The two of them cooperated with long faces of boredom and frustration for this was the tenth time they had been apprehended by a boarding party that day. "Fritz, take the helm!" Fritz acknowledged and pretended to secure the wheelhouse. Satchwell then turned to the 'smugglers' and asked, "Who is the master of this vessel?"

"Me," sighed one of the 'smugglers'.

"Are you aware that you are in a UN maritime exclusion zone?" asked Satchwell playing his part perfectly.

"No, really?" said the 'smuggler' sarcastically and who had absolutely no further interest in proving his dramatic qualities to anyone. Satchwell continued on flawlessly however.

"Under the UN Security Council Resolution Nine Five Seven I am inspecting this vessel for possible weapon's violations." Satchwell then signaled to Rawlings and Davies to begin searching the boat while he continued to interrogate the 'smugglers'. After a few minutes a small box was found hidden away in the wheelhouse that contained several toys that were to represent actual weapons and they were to record them as such.

By the time the list of 'weapons' was complete the thirty foot boat was found to contain an AK-47 assault rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver complete with Sheriff's badge, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, an F-18 Hornet jet fighter that was missing a wing and a small nuclear warhead (actually an old Power Rangers lunchbox with the words 'big bomb' crudely written on the front in permanent felt tip pen).

On the surface this appears quite comical. The reality is however that this kind of training is indispensable to a patrol boat crew. As the last operation to the Samaru Islands proved you never know what to expect when on deployment and so the boarding party behaved as if each one of these trinkets was a real weapon.

"Exercise completed!" announced the umpire and everyone relaxed as they awaited the verdict. "Well aside from the mishap during the boarding I have to say, Lieutenant, your team performed perfectly. Congratulations."

"Thank you Lieutenant Mendelson," said Satchwell.

"We're _mostly_ Kingston crew sir so you can expect nothing less!" interjected Fritz obnoxiously. Having heard this Mendelson expected Satchwell to reprimand the younger sailor but the Amberley's XO kept quiet.

Rawlings was still infuriated by what Fritz had done and he knew the statement was aimed at him more than the umpire. He knew he had to confront Fritz for his own sake because to do nothing would only invite further discrimination against him simply because he sailed on Hammersley for one week before joining the Amberley. But now wasn't the time and so he bit his tongue to keep quiet.

Through her binoculars Kate watched as the boarding party began to climb back aboard the RHIB indicating that the exercise was over. She hadn't seen exactly what happened during the boarding because of the distance between the Amberley at its dock and the fishing boat anchored offshore. She was therefore left to assume that Rawlings had slipped on the wet sides of the RHIB.

She put the binoculars back down on top of the Navigator's table from where she had acquired them and walked back across the deserted bridge. Through the corner of her eye she spotted Lt Darryl Smith walking across the wharf towards the Amberley.

"What do you want?" she uttered under breath as she saw him board her ship as though he were the Chief of the Navy. She assumed he had come to see her but rather than go looking for him she decided to stay on the bridge and let him find her. It didn't take him long however and soon she found him walking up the stairwell.

"Excuse me Acting Lieutenant Commander," he said as he walked upto her with an envelope in his right hand. Kate winced at his use of the word 'acting' since it was clearly his intention to remind her that her promotion was only temporary. It was green eyed envy at its most grotesque. "Commander Marshall's compliments."

He handed her the small envelope on which her name had been written along with her title as Commanding Officer of HMAS Amberley. With his job done he simply turned around and began to casually walk away.

"Lieutenant!" Kate's voice rang out across the bridge with a fury Smith had never expected from her. It caught him totally off guard and he seemed to jump around on the spot to face her. "Lieutenant, how many bars do you see on my shoulders?"

Smith was a little unsure of the question but nevertheless answered, "Two and a half."

"Very good Lieutenant," said Kate furiously and who felt like she was only just getting started with him. As she continued her attack the image of Smith sniggering at Pete as he was lead away by the cops replayed in her mind and added fuel to her attack. "And whose ship are you currently standing on?"

"Your ship," he replied as though she were holding the biggest gun in the world to his forehead.

"Exactly! My ship! And when you are onboard _my _ship you will treat me with the respect I deserve. That means saluting your superior officer, acting or otherwise, and waiting to be dismissed when you are in my presence. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes ma'am," he said sheepishly. "Sorry ma'am."

Kate knew she had succeeded with him. He knew he had crossed the line and was now firmly back in his place. "Dismissed!" she hissed. He went to turn away when he suddenly stopped himself as he remembered to salute her before leaving the ship as quickly as he could.

Once he was gone Kate relished in the release that came from giving Smith a good talking down. It was a small victory in an otherwise terrible twenty four hours of her life but it was one she savored. She allowed herself a mild chuckle before going to her cabin to read the letter. Sitting in her chair she removed the piece of paper from inside the envelope and began to read.

_For the attention of Lieutenant Commander (Acting) Kate McGregor, Commanding Officer of Her Majesty's Australian Ship Amberley. _

_Due to the current operational climate it has been decided to bring forward the date of your informal inquiry regarding the collision of HMAS Amberley with a civilian vessel Darwin Explorer. The inquiry will now take place tomorrow at 0900hrs at the NAVCOM building, Cairns in the presence of myself and two other senior officers._

_Commander Steven Marshall__  
NAVCOM  
Royal Australian Navy_

Sitting in her cabin Kate felt a lump appear in her stomach. With everything that had gone on in the past few days this letter felt like the straw that broke the camel's back. To her the letter meant one of two things; either they were going to clear her quickly so she could command Amberley at sea once again or they were going to use her as a scapegoat for what happened and have her replaced. Either way she knew that what NAVCOM was most interested in was having Amberley back at sea and it felt as though they were going to step on her to do it.

She knew it was irrational to think like this. She didn't know what the letter really meant until she was to stand before the board of inquiry the next day but as she sat there in the chair beside her desk a part of her wished for a whirlpool to appear in the floor and swallow her up if only to release her from this waking nightmare that she had found herself embroiled in.

There was a sudden gentle knock on the door. She rubbed her tired face as she composed herself before allowing the visitor entry. Judging by the time she assumed it was Satchwell coming to report on how the exercise had gone. As the door opened her eyes leaned across to the side and fell upon Peter Tomaszewski standing before her still wearing his 'whites' that he was wearing earlier that morning when the Police had picked him.

"Buffer!" she gasped in almost breathless disbelief.

"Sorry to disturb you ma'am," he said in a low and humble voice. If ever there was a useless apology given to someone in the entire history of the world it was that one. Never in her life had she been as thankful as she was at that moment to see him in front of her.

Nothing had really changed but suddenly things didn't seem as bad.


	24. Experiments in Life & Death

CAIRNS, 2035hrs

The sailor strolled across the dock swaying his shoulders from side to side as he danced to the rhythm of a song that only he could hear. Across his face, a cheeky grin was pasted that seemed to stretch from ear to ear. He arrived at the grey shape of an old patrol boat moored up along the dock and looked at it from stem to stern, his eyes analyzing the vessel in an unfavorable manner.

"What a hunk of junk," he uttered to himself before he began to walk towards the HMAS Amberley in an attempt to board her. Standing on the deck was 'Fritz' who saw the unfamiliar sailor boarding his vessel. No sooner had the sailor placed his foot on the deck then he found himself blocked from gaining further access by a suspicious 'Fritz' whose hand was held firm on the man's chest.

"Can I help you?" asked 'Fritz' in an almost threatening way.

"Yea you can get your hands off me if you don't mind," chirped the sailor. 'Fritz' reluctantly obliged but still stood in the way to prevent the 'intruder' from gaining any further access. "I've just been reassigned to this bucket while my own ship is under repairs. The name is Leading Seaman Leo Kosov-Meyer. But everyone calls me '2Dads'."

* * *

Kate's emotions had finally settled down as she lay on her bunk in her quarters. For most of the day she had felt like she had been stuck on a rollercoaster that seemed to go on forever. She had known both joy and fear in equal doses from the moment she had awoken that morning and now it was taking its toll on her physically and mentally. As she lay there staring up at the ceiling she felt her body relaxing. At some point this evening her mind had decided that the best way to cope with everything that was happening around her was to effectively shut herself down if only for just two minutes.

Her eyes shut and she experienced a sensation that she could only liken to tumbling through the air. It felt as though she were somehow leaving her body behind and with it all the worries that were consuming her. She was now floating in the water. It was tranquil and peaceful in a way she had never experienced before. There was no longer a care in the world for her.

"_They need your help!"_

"What?" she mumbled not sure she had heard the words correctly. "Whose there?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She waited silently for a response but it failed to come. She was suddenly pulled from the water as a series of loud knocks echoed through her cabin.

Her eyes opened and she was back on her bunk staring up at the ceiling. She looked around the cabin that was dimly lit by a single desk lamp as the knocks repeated themselves. She sat up and called out, "Yes! Come in!"

The handle turned and Buffer appeared at the door wearing his camouflaged duty coveralls that he had changed into after reporting to Kate the moment he had come back onboard.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you ma'am," said Buffer quite apologetically.

"It's alright," she said smiling at him.

"I just thought you ought to know that 'Scooter's replacement has just arrived. He's one of ours," he explained with a mild sigh.

"One of ours?" she repeated. "You mean Hammersley?"

Buffer huffed, "Yes ma'am I do."

"Well then who…Oh no. Not-"

"2Dads!" grumbled Buffer.

* * *

2Dads walked into the enlisted mess where he found Charge sitting with a newspaper. The front cover was emblazoned with the ongoing story of the Navy's Armidales being out of commission. The events in the Samaru Islands had happened too late to make that day's edition but the article only served to remind everyone that things were going to get harder over the coming weeks.

As Charge looked up to see who had entered the room he grunted slightly at the sight of his old shipmate.

"Nah it's ok!" announced "2Dads" who no doubt heard a fanfare playing in his head everytime he entered a room. "Don't get up on my account. Just go about your business."

"I had no intention of getting up," said Charge as he turned the page of his newspaper rather aggressively. "So what are you doing here?"

"Got transferred didn't I," he chirped as he helped himself to a cup of tea. "NAVCOM made the call to Flynn and hear I am. Have no fear, the RAN's prince is hear." With as much grace as a bull in a China shop '2Dads' landed in the seat beside Charge, spilling a bit of his tea over the side of the cup.

"Lucky us," grumbled Charge as he held his paper up a little higher to cover his face and in doing so hint that he had no intention of having a conversation. '2Dads' never did quite know how to take a hint however.

"So what's the deal with this bucket anyway? It's hardly been what you'd call lucky."

"I don't know what you mean," said Charge in a monotonous voice that was intended to discourage the topic.

"Come on Charge, you know what everyone is saying. They all think this boat is jinxed or something." '2Dads' tone was reminiscent of an excited puppy. He was relishing in the conversation about the ring of bad luck that had befallen the vessel but Charge remained defensive.

"I don't believe in curses," he said.

"Who said anything about a curse?" asked '2Dads' who was absolutely beaming at the fact he seemed to have caught Charge out. "And yes you do. What about all them stories about Bright Island and the Quija board on the Swan hey?"

"They are just stories," answered Charge.

"Oh yea, like the ghost 'Spider' saw?"

Charge looked away from his paper for the first time since '2Dads' had walked in. "How do you know about that?"

"I hear things here and there," said '2Dads' who saw the look on Charge's face. It was a look that said he truly believed there was something on this boat. Charge almost bordered on the stereotypical old 'sea dog' where ghost stories were part and parcel of the lifestyle. It was something '2Dads' knew he could use and he had every intention of doing so. "So what do you think then?"

"About what?" asked Charge.

"Well y'know. That age old paranormal question; do we call a priest or a ghostbuster?" '2Dads' found the whole thing hilarious but Charge was hardly amused. It was not so much the fact that '2Dads' was joking about the misfortune and superstition that was surrounding HMAS Amberley. It was more along the lines of the fact that '2Dads' had been in the room for almost five minutes now without mentioning the one thing that was in the back of all the Hammersley crew's minds. Their shipmate 'Spider'.

Charge had been at sea long enough to know by now that with sailors like '2Dads' it was pointless trying to get through to them about such things. They craved the attention that the trouble they brought with them attracted and so it was to '2Dads's annoyance that Charge simply turned back to his paper without so much as word to him.

The room fell silent.

'2Dads' stared into his tea. He didn't want to cause any problems between him and Charge, the truth was that they'd had a pretty amicable relationship aboard Hammersley, but he did want a response from him. Any response would do. Then it suddenly came to him.

"Y'know," he wined still staring into the golden beverage. "There is a way we can find out."

Charge tried to resist the urge to respond but it failed. He looked up from his paper once more just to hear what '2Dads' was on about now. "What?"

"We could make our own Quija board?" suggested '2Dads'.

"Right get out!" barked Charge angrily to which '2Dads' laughed obnoxiously.

"Come on, what's the matter? You scared?" taunted '2Dads'. Charge wasn't having any of it however and began to leave. '2Dads' held out his hand to stop the Chief Engineer. "Ok, ok, bad idea." Charge began to sit down once more, his eyes sending daggers at the younger sailor. '2dads' waited a few moments before he spoke again. "There is another way though."

* * *

Buffer found himself sitting beside Kate on her bunk which was now acting as a makeshift sofa. While she was completely relaxed in his presence he was quite uncomfortable being this informal around her. He sat awkwardly as the two of them talked not always knowing in which context he was sometimes speaking to her – friend or shipmate. What he had failed to notice was his quick visit had now turned into a thirty minute chat with his CO before it broke down and became two friends enjoying each other's company. Eventually even he began to relax as the hour wore on.

The one thing that naturally kept returning to the conversation was his time at the Police station. Somewhere in the conversation Kate had dropped the boundary between them and as always happened when they were sharing moments such as this she began referring to him as 'Pete'.

"So are you going to be able to sail with us?" she asked him.

"I don't know," he said staring across at an invisible spot on the opposite wall. "It depends on Marshall and whether you want me onboard?"

The two of them locked eyes and she said truthfully, "I wouldn't have it any other way. I know you didn't do it. You're too controlled for that."

Buffer breathed a small sigh of relief and smiled. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear someone say that. I just feel like everyone's out to get me."

"I know that feeling," she chuckled in a not-so-funny way referring to the events that had dominated her life over the past week and a half. Her smile suddenly faded as she dared herself to ask a question that had been on her mind since they had begun this conversation. "Pete, I just want to know something?"

"What is it?" he asked understandingly.

She looked away momentarily before asking, "Where you really at Bombers? I-I mean you-she isn't covering for you or anything?"

He turned his whole body to the side slightly in order to face her properly. He leaned in closer to her personal space not to confront her or intimidate her in anyway but to emphasize the words that followed. "Kate, in the three years I have known you I have never once lied to you about anything. And I would never ask a fellow shipmate to lie for me. I give you my word, on our friendship, I did not kill 'Scooter' and I did not ask anyone to cover for me."

"I had to ask," she said in a faint tone. "You understand don't you?"

Buffer simply nodded.

At precisely the same time, as if they had merged into a singular being, the two of them glanced downwards to see that the back of Buffer's right hand was grazing the surface of the top of Kate's left hand. Both of them became afraid to look back up in case it ended this almost perfect moment. Neither of them was sure who made the next move but somehow their fingers became intertwined with one another.

Kate's heart beat like a drum as all the bottled up frustration she had for wanting to be close to him filtered away through a valve that had been created by this simple touch. Finally she dared to look up at him. She watched as he kept looking at their hands locked together waiting patiently for him to respond. When he finally did look at her Kate saw that his eyes were like those of a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. She wondered what it was he feared so much from being intimate with her. Was it his career? That didn't sound like Pete. While his career did mean a lot to him he was a passionate man first and foremost. Doubt began to creep into her mind. Maybe he didn't really feel the same way. Maybe –

Kate was left stunned. What had just happened?

Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of it. He had kissed her. Yes, he definitely had. It was a strong and commanding kiss but at the same time delicate and very affectionate. The kiss had answered everything for her. The fear she had seen in his eyes reflected the fear he had that if he did kiss her it would somehow end what they had together. It didn't. If anything it reinforced the affection they both had for one another.

It was now Kate's turn to show her true feelings. She lifted up her left hand and held it on his right cheek while she caressed his chin with her thumb. His skin was rough with a days worth of stubble but it did not matter to her. She guided the two of them closer to one another and with closed eyes they kissed gently.

* * *

"It's called electronic voice phenomena," explained '2Dads' as he sat back down next to Charge with a small digital audio recorder he had taken from the ship's stores. "You can basically record the voices of the dead."

Standing in the doorway to the mess was Ralph Palmer, Amberley's Radio Operator. He stood watching with some interest as '2Dads' played with the recorder trying to figure out how it worked. Unlike much of his fellow Kingston shipmates, Ralph was on quite good terms with the Hammersley crew. He found the old competition between the two vessels tiresome and irrelevant now that they were on Amberley.

"Where have I heard this before?" asked Charge.

"It was in that Michael Keaton film," said Ralph.

"Oh yeah," grumbled Charge disbelievingly. "Oh it's all crap! It's just static and hisses!"

"One time," added Ralph. "When the Kingston was off the coast of Timor I started picking up a radio transmission from a Japanese warship that was being bombed by the air force. I didn't know what to make of it. I found out later that sometimes under certain conditions old radio transmissions can get caught up in the atmosphere and bounce around for years and years. Hell, do you know that a lot of our tv transmissions get beamed out into space and they go on pretty much forever."

"So what?" scoffed Charge. "Are you trying to tell me that somewhere out there ET is watching Neighbours or Home and Away?"

'2Dads' burst out with laughter. "Hey guys, if he phoned home then do you think he's phoning back to vote for this week's Australian Idol?"

"Nah I'd think he's a fan of Big Brother," added Ralph. Both Ralph and '2Dads' began to laugh. Even Charge found his rough exterior breaking down at the jokes.

"Ok it's ready," said '2Dads'. "What do you say we give it a go?" Charge seemed to brace himself up as '2Dads' lifted the recorder to his lips before pushing record. "Is there anybody there? Ooooooh." '2Dads' waited a few seconds before stopping the record button. He then set it to playback and the three of them listened in closely.

…_Is there anybody there? Ooooooh……….........................................……………………………………………………………………………_

"Nothing!" announced Charge conclusively. "See?!"

"Hang on," protested '2Dads'. "It doesn't always work the first time. Let's try again." He held it to his lips and hit record one more time. "Can anyone hear me? Please tap once for yes and twice for no." After pausing for a few moments he stopped the recording and played it back once again. Both Charge and Ralph were feeling a little foolish but '2Dads' was apparently having the time of his life. His face was glowing red from smiling so much.

…_Can anyone hear me? Please tap once for yes and twice for no……...................................…………………………………_

"This is ridiculous!" said Charge. "I have better things to do with my time. Like read my paper."

The experiment quickly descended into chaos as '2Dads' began recording a whole manner of ridiculous messages and played them back for his own amusement.

…_What are this weeks winning lottery numbers………………………….......................................…………………………………….._

…_Does McGregor have a nice bum……………………………………………….........................................………………………………………_

…_Who is the prince of the RAN…………………………………….........................................................................................._

…_Is Charge fat………………………………………………………………………...........................................……………………………####......._

"Did you hear that?" gasped Ralph. Even Charge was forced to admit that he heard something but it could have been anything and he kept his mind open. "Play it back!" They played it back several times but couldn't make out what the sound was near the end of the recording.

The smile had faded from '2Dads' face. In all honesty he had never expected anything to have been recorded and so to be confronted with a mysterious sound did unnerve him slightly.

"Try it again!" said Ralph. '2Dads' made another recording.

…_Is there anybody there……………………………...........................................………..yes……………………………………………………….._

"Oh Christ did you hear that?" gasped '2Dads' who nearly dropped the recorder onto the table. The surprise quickly subsided and '2Dads' began to laugh. Pleased with his success he began to make another recording and quickly played it back. The recording had the attention of all three sailors.

…_Are you a man or a woman or a transvestite……………………...................................………………………………………………….._

There was no answer. '2Dads' repeated the question several times but on each playback there was only silence.

"Maybe we imagined that we heard something?" suggested Ralph trying to put a rational explanation on what they had heard.

"Maybe," said '2Dads' who was now a little disappointed. "Hey it's still recording!" said '2Dads' having noticed that the REC light was still on and so he reached over to knock it off. The button stubbornly refused to stop the recording and it remained on for several more seconds until it finally went out. "Let's play it back and see what it recorded." The recording began to play out.

…_Maybe we imagined that we heard something……….Maybe……………… Hey it's still recording................................. Let's play it back and see what it recorded.....................................................I can smell your fear sailor boy……………….._

"What the hell?" asked '2Dads' as they heard the distinctly Eastern European voice.

A bolt of fear ran through Charge's heart like lightning had just struck him from the heavens. He began to breathe rapidly as he became overwhelmed by fear and anger.

"Charge are you ok?" asked '2Dads' noticing the change that was taking place in the Chief Engineer.

Charge suddenly burst up from his seat and yelled angrily at '2Dads', "You think this is funny do you?" '2Dads' didn't know how to answer. He just sat there paralyzed with his own fear at the sight of the burly man threatening him in such a way that he had never seen before.

Charge suddenly came to his senses. Rather than lash out at the younger sailor he stormed off out of the mess almost knocking Ralph off his feet as he went passed. Neither of them could have known the significance of the voice they had recorded. Ralph had been on Kingston at the time and '2Dads' had only joined Hammersley a year ago. The voice belonged to an Eastern European mercenary. It was the same mercenary who almost two years ago stabbed Charge several times almost to the point of death. That same man was killed by an assassin in Barry Hospital just a few months later.


	25. The Perfect Morning?

Kate could hear a heartbeat but it wasn't hers.

The thumping sound reverberated in her mind as she slept soundly. It was steady and consistent bringing with it a reassuring feeling she had missed so dearly over the past few days. She was becoming more and more awake and thus increasingly aware of this other heartbeat. Her eyelids began to creep open slightly to reveal a darkened and blurry world. Soon the blur began to come into focus and she saw that she was in her cabin aboard HMAS Amberley.

She lifted her head slightly and in doing so disturbed the man whose chin had come to rest on top of her head as the two of them had spent the night embracing one another. She looked up and realized that it had not been a dream. She was indeed in her rack with Buffer – it seemed so funny to call him that now. To her he was Pete. He always would be from now on except when they were on duty of course. She had gone to sleep hearing his heartbeat and as the two of them locked their sleepy eyes on one another he whispered delicately, "Good morning."

She smiled brightly before uttering, "Morning." Without even thinking about it she quickly returned her head to his chest. It was as if to let go of this moment would be to lose this feeling forever. The two of them had not sullied this feeling they had by having sex that night. The emotion was purer than that. So too was their respect for one another.

Although every professional fiber in her body was screaming that this was wrong it was drowned out by the warmth and affection that was swirling around the two of them as they remained locked together. No Navy or any armed force in the world can ever interfere in moments like this; the pleasure of spending a perfect evening with the one you love will last the rest of your life and is indestructible.

For Kate McGregor and Peter Tomaszewski this was one of those times.

"Kate," he whispered softly but she pretended not to hear him. "Kate!" She had no choice but to once again look up at his face staring lovingly down at her. "We should probably make a move. It's a big day today."

"I know," she replied. "What time is it?"

Buffer looked at his diving watch on his left hand before saying, "It's zero six thirty hours. What time is the inquiry?"

"Oh nine hundred at NAVCOM," she said as a feeling of dread suddenly gripped the pit of her stomach. The feeling quickly dampened the flame that was glowing from them but did not extinguish it completely.

She sat upright on the bed. Buffer sat up beside her and the two of them took deep breaths before they plucked up the courage to talk about their new relationship. Both had their doubts and worries but at the same time the force that was drawing them together in the first place was still there. Kate had heard people talk about electricity between two people. She thought she had experienced it with Mike Flynn but it was barely a spark compared to the lightning bolts that were emanating from the two of them to each other.

"Where do we go from here?" asked Buffer as the two of them stared down at the floor.

"I don't know," she said. "You know the Navy's rules about this sort of thing."

Buffer could detect the hint of 'professional Kate' coming through in her words but this time they seemed more sad than commanding. He turned to her and said, "You've been having a tough time lately with the collision, Morales and now the inquiry. I took advantage of that. I behaved inappropriately."

Kate's lower jaw uncontrollably fell open. She heard his words and knew precisely what he meant. He was giving her an explanation should they ever be discovered. She knew that if Marshall ever caught wind of what had happened then that is exactly what Buffer would say to him. He would take full responsibility in order to save her career which in his eyes was more important than his own. It was a deep and moving sentiment that left a big impression on Kate. She knew there was only one answer she could ever give if she was brought before Marshall to explain her actions. Hell, she felt ready to confess to God almighty.

"I knew what I was doing," she said gently. Without saying it the two of them had agreed that if they were discovered they would both walk away from their careers to give this relationship a chance to blossom into more. But for the time being they both had jobs to do. Buffer leaned over and kissed her delicately on the cheek before standing up and quite carefully opening the door to check if anyone was outside. Convinced that no one was in the corridor he looked back at her before uttering, "Good luck."

Like a professional cat burglar he slipped out through the door and closed it behind him without any living thing aboard Amberley ever being aware he was ever there. He made his way forward towards the enlisted mess. Even now he was still apprehensive about the room ever since his…his. _What the hell happened exactly?_ He had gone over it a thousand times in his mind and he was still no closer to an explanation as to how he was injured (_or was it assaulted?_) that day when Amberley collided with the Darwin Explorer. The best he could come up with was that it was all an hallucination brought on by fumes or something? Maybe he fell as he was running passed the mess on his way to the engine room? Perhaps the voice he heard and the entity he saw was in fact a dream brought about by a blow to the head?

There was of course another explanation he entertained and like Nikki's story about the boat being cursed he quickly dismissed the idea of the Amberley being haunted. He never considered himself to have an abundance of intellect but he was a logical human being blessed with the gift of reason and more importantly common sense. All these things quickly dispelled any notion of supernatural interference aboard the patrol boat. It was silly.

A jolt of cold energy bristled across the back of his neck. Startled, he spun around on the spot to find he was standing just a few inches from Matt Satchwell!

"What the hell?" he gasped as he fought to catch his breath. Buffer's nerves were suddenly shattered as though they were a dinner plate falling off a shelf. Satchwell seemed to appear behind him. He'd had no warning of the XO being in the corridor with him and the first thought that sprung to his mind was whether or not Satchwell saw him coming out of Kate's quarters.

"I'm sorry," said Satchwell in a distinct monotone that seemed almost detached from his mouth. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's ok sir," said Buffer who was now regaining control of his breathing.

"Are you alright?" asked Satchwell. "I heard you had some trouble ashore? With the Police I mean?"

"Misunderstanding sir," said Buffer who began to wonder how Satchwell was going to react to having him back onboard . He was afterall a suspect in Scooter's death.

"Glad to hear it," said Satchwell. Buffer felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end readying himself for some physical confrontation with his XO. The last time they had met was aboard the Coral Dawn and Satchwell had been particularly hostile towards him. Since then Spider had been stabbed and Scooter was dead. Buffer wondered how these events would further alienate him from the XO. To his surprise Satchwell said, "Buffer, I feel I owe you an apology."

"Sir?" asked a confused Peter Tomaszewski.

"For the way I behaved the last time we met. I'd had some unfortunate personal news and for reasons I cant explain decided to vent against you. That is no excuse however. I just feel I needed to explain my actions to you. Star again? What do you say?"

Buffer looked down and saw Satchwell's hand of friendship extended outward. Buffer felt like a Rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. He wasn't sure how to react except for to accept the offer.

"Of course sir," said Buffer whose voice betrayed the cocktail of startled apprehension and confusion that was swirling around his body.

"I'm glad. I have a feeling that you and I are going to be quite busy over the next few days. We need to work as a team to keep this crew from falling apart. They need to know what happened ashore should stay ashore."

"You can count on me sir," said Buffer sternly.

Satchwell grinned almost slyly, "I know I can." With that Satchwell walked passed him and continued his way towards the bridge.

Buffer watched him walking up the steps at the end of the corridor as though he had just met the XO for the first time. He simply didn't recognize him. Everything about him was different. Even his walk seemed to have changed from the last time they had met. His voice was also slightly lower and he seemed more focused than anyone Buffer had ever met in his life. Just what he was focused on exactly was lost on Pete who decided he needed some fresh air to clear his thoughts.

Buffer stepped outside through the hatchway and was met with a crisp cool breeze coming in from the sea. It was the kind of breeze that embeds itself into a sailor's heart and travels around their veins eventually consuming his or her entire being. Many people who have never been to sea ever appreciate the passion that comes from such a life.

He leaned up against the handrail and looked out over the harbor as his nostrils suddenly filled with the smell of the ocean. The sun was still only just beginning its journey up from the horizon. The sky was a brilliant explosion of red, orange and turquoise. As his mind fell back from his unnerving meeting with Satchwell to his night with Kate he smiled as he realized he was happy to be alive. His eyes fell shut to allow the aroma of the sea to consume his senses without interruption from his domineering eyes.

"Watch him Pete," said the man standing beside him.

"Watch who?" asked Pete as he exhaled heavily.

"You know who," the voice said again.

Buffer turned to see the man standing beside him. Buffer couldn't be sure but he estimated the man was in his early thirties with short dark hair. He wore Navy whites but he couldn't quite make out any detail on it. For some this might have been a confusing experience but Buffer felt totally at ease around the man. It was as if they had known each other for years.

Buffer suddenly felt a bout of fatigue. His knees seemed to give way and his hands instinctively reached for the handrail. At that moment Charge appeared walking from the stern of the patrol boat. Seeing Buffer nearly collapse in front of him Charge rushed to his side.

"Are you okay mate?" asked Charge who was in place ready to catch Buffer if he should fall. Expecting Buffer to be ill Charge was surprised to find his friend chuckling to himself. "What's so funny?" Buffer found his balance once again and Charge relaxed a little. "Are you alright? I mean you haven't taken anything that perhaps you shouldn't have?"

"I fell asleep," laughed Buffer. "I fell asleep on my feet. I had a crazy dream too."

"Oh yeah what about?" asked Charge who didn't find it funny.

"Nothing, don't worry," said Buffer. "Bad night I guess." That seemed to make Buffer laugh even harder although Charge couldn't fathom why.

"Me too," said Charge whose mind had been dominated by the event in the mess the night before. As Buffer came to his senses he could see that Charge looked physically exhausted. His face seemed to droop low and his eyes were pleading for rest.

"Are _you_ okay?" asked Buffer.

Charge seemed to sigh before answering, "Not really mate." Before Buffer could ask him what was wrong Charge began to walk away. As Buffer's head turned to follow his friend's movements forward he suddenly noticed something in one of the windows of the bridge. It was a face. It was Satchwell's face. He had watched everything.

* * *

NAVCOM, Cairns  
0900hrs

Kate looked smart in her dress white uniform as she marched before the panel of officers headed by Commander Marshall. The inquiry was being held in the NAVCOM gymnasium which today would serve as a makeshift courthouse. Every step she took as she marched up to the desk where the three officers sat echoed loudly through the vast space of the building.

Standing before them she saluted smartly and without hesitation.

Marshall acknowledged the salute before announcing, "Acting Lieutenant Commander Kate McGregor; this tribunal has been convened to determine whether or not your actions or inactions in some way contributed to the collision of Her Majesty's Australian Ship Amberley with the civilian vessel Darwin Explorer. While no formal charges are being brought against you at this time the outcome of this tribunal will determine whether further disciplinary actions are required…"

Kate stood there smartly as Marshall read aloud the particulars of the incident which were going to be covered in the tribunal. Her calm exterior hid the tension that she was filled with inside. Worse still her mind was awash with her feelings for Buffer that had finally surfaced the night before. While she didn't regret what happened it was now proving a hindrance to her concentration even though her career was hanging in the balance.


	26. A View from the Gallery

BARRY GENERAL HOSPITAL  
1345hrs

The young woman walked nervously through the corridors of the hospital almost invisible to the comings and goings of the doctors, nurses, patients and families who occupied the building around her. She delicately stepped one foot in front of the other as she made her way down to the Intensive Care Unit. She didn't know why she was there. She wondered how she would be received by those who may also be visiting the hospital today to see who she had come to see.

Having passed the small shop at the front of the hospital she decided to pick up some magazines if nothing more than as a gesture to the person she was visiting. Not knowing what to get exactly she chose what she felt were 'safe' magazines for a man in his early twenties; cars and general interest male magazines that had scantily clad supermodels across the front. She clutched them in her right arm as she scanned the signs with her hazel eyes trying to navigate her way to where her friend was being cared for.

"Morales!"

A voice called out to her from beside a coffee machine in the main corridor running through the building. Daniella Morales turned on the spot stunned to hear her name being called. She looked rather sheepishly in the direction of the voice, her nerves still fraying over the slightest of things ever since the incident on board HMAS Amberley. Except for when she had been sedated aboard the patrol boat immediately after it had happened, sleep had proven something of an obstacle to the young woman made worse by the fact that she had been under almost constant supervision by a family member at the request of the Navy psychiatrist. This visit to the hospital was her first time out unsupervised since she had left the Amberley.

"Morales," the voice again called out. To her amazement she found herself being rapidly approached by a man she owed her life to but because he was out of uniform she barely recognized him until he was just a few feet away from her.

"Hello Buffer," she said as the broad shouldered Peter Tomaszewski approached her with two coffees in his hand.

"A-A-Are you ok?" he asked flabbergasted at the sight of her. He expected to never see her again since sailors who tried to take their own lives at sea rarely if ever come back on duty. He was, of course, an exception but his moment of weakness all those years ago had been hushed up for his own sake.

"I'm good thank you," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I thought I'd come and see how Spider was doing. I heard about what happened and about Scooter."

"Yeah," acknowledged Buffer as he realized that with everything happening with Kate he had all but forgotten that he was still a suspect for the Police regarding what had happened to Scooter after the attack on Spider. Bomber had since made a statement to them confirming his story that he had spent the night at her place but he suspected that he hadn't heard the end of it just yet. "Spider is still out for the count after his operation. He has woken up a few times but not for long and he is quite groggy when he does. Some of us from Hammersley have been taking it in turns to watch over him in case he comes out of it and to give his parents a break. I'm here with Bomber now."

"I see," she uttered. "Do you want me to come back another time?"

"No of course not," he replied quickly and resolutely. "I'm sure he would be happy to see you if he wakes up. You're his shipmate as well."

"I don't know about that. I think my Navy career is over before it had chance to start."

"Don't say that," he said compassionately. "You never know what might happen. Come on, why don't we go and see Spider and Bomber?"

"Ok," she said relieved that she had found someone to welcome her with open arms. She followed Buffer the rest of the way to the ICU the two of them making polite small talk as they went. In truth both of them were a little unsure of how to react with one another. She felt safer around Buffer than anyone else from Amberley but at the same time she still felt embarrassment over what happened. For his part, Buffer felt as though talking to her was akin to handling a precious ornament.

Soon they were walking up to the bed that Spider lay down upon. His whole area around the abdomen had been covered in white bandaging from which thick tubes protruded draining excess fluids that had escaped from his organs that had been damaged in the savage attack. A thin transparent tube was wrapped around his face and inserted into his nose making sure that his body was receiving the oxygen his body so desperately needed to recover. The doctors had done all they could for the young sailor and it was now up to him to pull through.

"Oh hello," said Bomber looking up from her own magazine she was reading beside the bed while she waited for Buffer with her coffee.

"Bomber this is Daniella," said Buffer as he handed Bomber her cup. Daniella and Bomber both exchanged greetings as Buffer pulled out a third chair for the additional visitor to Spider's bedside.

"His mum called again," said Bomber blowing into her cup to cool its contents. "I told her there's no change. I tried to tell her that she should get some rest and that we would call her if there was any news but she didn't listen last time so..."

"You can't really blame her I suppose," said Buffer as his mind thought back to his own mother and how helpless he felt during the last days she was alive. He had been aboard Hammersley when it happened and he knew that deep down she understood he had important work to do, she was immensely proud of her Navy son. Unfortunately for him the memory of his mother had been clouded by his experience aboard Amberley. Now he associated her memory with what could only be described as both fear and confusion.

As the three of them sat by Spider's bedside only Bomber was oblivious to the effect a single patrol aboard HMAS Amberley had had on those around her having been the only one not to serve aboard that ship. The prospect of returning to the Amberley brought mixed feelings for Buffer made worse by the uncertainty of who would be commanding her by the end of the day. Would Kate be relieved and if so would he be going into combat in the Samaru Islands without her perhaps under the command of Satchwell? On the other hand however he was unsure of how his new relationship with Kate would affect his performance at sea.

He knew that really all he could do was keep his cool and try to put everything behind him. It was the only way forward.

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY

"God dammit!" bellowed Charge cradling his right hand as the spanner fell to the floor.

Charge had spent much of the morning stripping down the starboard engine for some maintenance in preparation for the order to sail that everyone knew was coming. He had placed the spanner on the number six bolt holding the head gasket in place and proceeded to turn it. It had proven quite stiff to do so and without realizing it the bolt began cross threading as it retracted. It had suddenly given way under the heavy force he was applying sending his hand across into the adjacent bulkhead.

In a blind rage he reached for the spanner and hurled it across the room not caring what it hit or where it landed before he slumped down onto the floor and leaned against the heavy block of the engine. It wasn't engineer's pride that had driven him to perform this maintenance. He just wanted something labor intensive to do in order to occupy his mind. The disembodied voice recorded by 2Dads still lingered in his thoughts and was consuming his very being.

He believed in conspiracies. He believed in ghosts. He believed in curses. He believed the moon landings were faked. He believed in little green men stealing cows and kidnapping red neck Americans but the truth of the subject was that he only believed those things when he was talking about them from a distance. To actually be confronted by such things unnerved him deeply.

With his hand still throbbing from the pain and starting to swell he got up off the floor and began walking out of the engine room in search of some cold water. Having walked upto a sink in the toilet adjacent to the enlisted galley he closed the door behind him and ran the cold water tap. He placed his hand under it and felt a surge of relief as the cold water ran over his skin. He looked up into the mirror and as he did so saw his own tired and bloodshot eyes staring back at him. He had worked on some tough boats before but Amberley had been different. There was something about the patrol boat that didn't sit right with anyone it seemed. Maybe that's why he heard that voice? Perhaps it was his own mind playing tricks on him? That seemed to make more sense to him than any other explanation. Or maybe that was simply a more acceptable answer to him?

The mind works in mysterious ways when it tries to understand what it can't explain. How many people have said they thought they saw a ghost but when they calm down from the shock and emotion of the experience they start to think that maybe it was a trick of the light or the result of tired eyes? We all have. We don't want to accept the possibility of the supernatural because it is something we cannot understand.

Charge looked back down at his hand as it ran under the water. He stared at the water as it landed on his skin and then slid down the side of his hand before continuing to fall down to the white porcelain sink. It was a strangely hypnotic action and his eyes became transfixed on it.

_...They're out there_

"Who are?" he asked almost without realizing he was doing so.

_...It's them sir. Target vessel at range five nautical miles_

_This is the __U.S.__ Coast Guard, heave to I intend to board you and conduct a search of your hold..._

_...Still no answer to our hails sir. They're turning south. Looks like their heading for the reef. _

_They know we can't follow them over there. It's too shallow for our hull..._

Charge didn't seem to register what was happening. He was hearing the voices but he was not afraid of them. On the contrary he felt like he was simply being told a story. It was like there were people around him each whispering to him in an effort to explain was happening. He knew these voices were on a ship and trying to intercept another vessel. They were a patrol boat crew, an American crew from the U.S. Coast Guard but he still didn't quite understand where they were coming from and why they were trying to show him this series of events.

"They were heading for the reef," he said as he looked up from his hands at his reflection. "What did you do?"

Charge watched as his own reflection begin to whisper to him, the image detached from his own body.

_Make revolutions eight-eight-zero and darken the ship. We're going to sneak out in front of them and cut them off….._

_…..Revolutions eight-eight-zero, aye sir!_

_ Let's close it up. Swing us around to heading one-five-two..…_

_…..They're not turning. They still can't see us!_

_Alright standard illumination. Try hailing them again..…_

_…..Still no answer, they're coming right for us! They're going to hit!_

_Brace! Brace! Brace!_

* * *

Everything suddenly went black.

Charge felt himself falling slowly through what felt like thick air. No, it wasn't air it was water! He was surrounded by water! He could feel his lungs filling up as they struggled to breathe air that simply wasn't there. Charge was not panicked about this fact however. He still felt detached from everything he was experiencing like he was reliving some long forgotten dream.

A brilliant tower of light emanating from above him suddenly shone down into the murky b;ack water. It swept from side to side as if looking for something and was getting closer and closer to him. The light passed over something in the water. It wasn't moving. It was difficult to see but Charge could just make out arms and legs. It was a body! Its silhouette was falling motionless like a statue through the water.

"Najac!" uttered Charge before he suddenly screamed, "Najac! Brother! Najac!"

Charge watched helpless as the light passed over more bodies. There were four of them in total all around him mixed in with debris from a wooden hulled boat all of which continued to descend into the murky depths of the sea. They were his brothers and his father.

Charge began kicking his legs trying to reach Najac who was nearest him. The water made the work hard and has lack of oxygen meant his energy was running down quickly. He was dieing and he knew it but he was determined to try and get to his brother.

"Najac! Please!"

Charge didn't seem to register the fact that he was able to shout underwater, something that should be impossible. He couldn't even be sure he actually was underwater!

The column of light fell upon him bathing him in a brilliant white glow. He jerked as he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. There was more than one hand and all were trying to get hold of him. Despite trying to fight them he was soon overwhelmed and they began pulling him upwards away from his sinking family.

Charge continued to rise upwards towards the source of the light. It was getting brighter the closer he got to it. He could hear voices muttering through the water getting louder and louder. Someone was shouting but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

Charge broke the surface of the water and took his first breaths. They were desperate and fast paced breaths as his body struggled to replace the oxygen it had been starved of. The hands on his body continued to drag him across the surface of the water for a short distance before he was lifted up out of the water and dragged into a small boat. Charge felt rubber passing under his body as he was hauled aboard and realized he was in a RHIB in the dead of night.

"Hey buddy! You ok? Can you hear me?"

Charge knew what the man was saying but couldn't respond. The man looking down at him examined Charge in a medical fashion allowing the big Aussie to look at his rescuers. He was in a RHIB but it wasn't an Australian one. It was bright red in colour when Australian Navy RHIBs were always grey. The wet gear worn by the men in the RHIB was also unfamiliar being brighter with the obvious aim of having higher visibility.

Another man appeared behind the one looking over him. He seemed agitated, almost panic stricken. Charge tried to concentrate on their faces but they were a strange blur and could only make out rough features such as nose, mouth and eyes but nothing else.

"Why didn't you listen?" screamed the other man at Charge. "Why didn't you listen to us for God's sake? If you'd listened this wouldn't have happened!"

Charge tried to respond but again he found himself unable to. The man turned his back on Charge and threw his hands to his face cursing vigorously. As Charge watched him walk to the back of the RHIB he saw that the bright light was in fact coming from a ship just thirty yards or so away.

"Amberley!" Charge mouthed breathlessly as he recognized his own ship but like the men around him it was different to how he knew it. Its dull grey Australian Navy scheme was gone. Instead it was bathed in a ghostly white scheme with a red band going diagonal down the forward hull. In big black lettering were the words 'U.S. COAST GUARD'.

Charge could feel himself slipping away from the scene. The last thing he heard as it all disappeared into a hazy blur was the agitated sailor shouting, "Alright, let's get back to the Chocktaw!"

_- Roger that XO!_

* * *

Charge seemed to snap himself awake from the crazy dream. He was sat perched on the toilet seat with his back up against the wall staring at his surprised face looking back at him from the mirror. He rubbed his eyes and then looked again. He tilted his head from side to side wanting to see how the reflection would respond and then feeling foolish when he saw it repeat his every move.

The door opened quickly.

"Oh, Charge!" gasped 2Dads not expecting to find him in there. "What are you doing hiding in here?"

"I'm not hiding," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Well are you going to be long? I need a dump."

"Charming," grumbled Charge as he stood up to start making his way passed the junior sailor. "Maybe you can clear out some of it from your head while you're at it."

"Touch-y!" said 2Dads before closing the door on Charge to carry out his bodily function.

As the door closed Charge jolted in shock as he found himself staring down the corridor at Satchwell. The Amberley's Executive Officer stood at the bottom of the stairway leading up to the bridge staring suspiciously at Charge making him feel distinctly uneasy.

"Ex," greeted Charge with a slight nod of the head.

"Charge," replied Satchwell softly all the while continuing to stare so deeply at Charge that the Chief Engineer felt as though he were having his soul picked apart by the officer's eyes.

"Is everything ok s-_sir_?" stuttered Charge as he saw a shadow glide across Satchwell's face. What was unusual about this shadow was that there seemed to be no apparent source. It was just there.

"We've been crash sailed," said Satchwell his face now almost totally in darkness. "We sail in four hours."

"I-I'll make the ship ready sir," replied Charge.

"Good," said Satchwell who slowly turned around and began walking back up the stairway towards the bridge all the while the black shadow hovered around his head like a cloud of smoke.

The scene was disturbed by the mundane sound of a flushing toilet and the door opening to reveal 2Dads.

"Phew!" said 2Dads like a clown. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you. You ok?"

* * *

AN HOUR LATER

Buffer paid for his taxi before slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder and walking up the gang plank which had 'HMS Amberley' emblazoned along the side saluting as he did so. Stepping aboard his ship Buffer was filled with burning questions. They were the types of questions you didn't want to have when you were crash sailed. Such rapid deployments left little time to address any issues a sailor might have prior to leaving port.

As usual he reported to the bridge first to inform the XO that he was aboard. This was the first question he wanted an answer for; who was the XO going to be? Satchwell? If Kate had been relieved of command as a result of the inquiry then Satchwell would replace her as CO. That did not bode well with Buffer.

He walked up the stairway passing Cheffo in the galley as he went. The two exchanged polite greetings before carrying on up the stairway towards the bridge. He stepped through the door and took a deep breath preparing him for whatever lay on the other side.

As the hatch opened his first sight was Satchwell standing with Fritz by the helm. Satchwell still had his Lieutenant's bars but that didn't mean anything since a full Lieutenant could command a patrol boat.

Buffer walked up to the former Kingston officer and announced, "Sir, reporting aboard."

"Very good," said Satchwell indifferently before returning to his conversation with Fritz. Feeling left out in the cold Buffer turned around and saw a female officer with two and a half gold bars on her shoulders talking to the navigational officer, Lieutenant Taylor. She had dirty blond hair arranged neatly at the back hanging down over her camouflaged uniform in a ponytail. She turned around having finished speaking to Taylor and buffer almost dropped his bag in shock. He had silently hoped, but not expected, it not to be her but sure enough Kate stood before him as Captain of HMAS Amberley.

"Ah, Buffer!" she said in her professional demeanor walking upto him. "Welcome back aboard."

"Thank you ma'am," he said finding it hard to believe she could stay so calm and composed in spite of everything that had happened over the past few days. She was once again the calculating and above all professional officer he had known for three years aboard Hammersley. He was immensely proud of her for it but he knew he couldn't show it for fear of tipping off the others about their new relationship.

"Buffer, we have less than three hours to sail so I'm going to need you to manage loading supplies down on the dock. Make sure everyone who isn't doing anything important is helping."

"Yes ma'am," replied Buffer sternly. "On that note I'll find 2Dads and kick him up the arse."

"Good man," said Kate trying to stifle a smile.

"Uh ma'am, there is just one thing. I'm still under investigation about what happened…"

"I've already spoken to NAVCOM," she interjected quickly. "Unless you are charged you are fit for duty as far as Marshall is concerned. And me of course." Buffer thought he detected a hint of something in her voice but felt that she could elaborate at a later date. They had to be careful not to give too much away. "Now snap to it sailor, we have a lot of work to do!"

"Yes ma'am!" boomed Buffer before turning around to find that their whole conversation had been watched carefully by Satchwell and Fritz. Buffer could feel the hostility aimed at him but had expected it. He had nothing to feel guilty about and wasn't going to let anyone prevent him from carrying out his duty.

* * *

1855hrs

Like countless times before, a grey Navy patrol boat slipped out of the harbor at Cairns. There are always mixed feelings at times like this for the crews who man these vessels. Some are excited about going to sea relishing in the adventure of a Navy career. Others are apprehensive as they try to prepare themselves for the task at hand. The sea can be a dangerous place.

As HMAS Amberley slipped out of port that day few on the shore could have realized the tension and melancholy that existed within her hull amongst her crew. It walked around like a companion on the ship traveling from person to person spreading malicious feelings that few of them seemed to understand. It was as if the ship were infected by a disease that was gripping the men and women aboard the vessel without exception and it was only their professionalism that was keeping them in line but for how long no one could be sure.

As the ship left the mouth of the harbor a silent observer sat moored up alongside the wharf. It was a vessel that had become quite rare in recent times within the harbor. It was an Armidale-class patrol boat and was still swarmed over by civilian engineers putting the finishing touches to the work they had carried out on the vessel.

Just below the bridge on the oak placard was the name 'HAMMERSLEY'.


	27. The Unwelcome Sea

2215hrs

_Dear Sarah,_

_As I write this to you we are sailing back to port but I am afraid that I will not be aboard when we do. There are whispers amongst the crew. I can't blame the crew for what they may do after all I am to blame for what has happened to this boat and they don't want to sail under my command anymore. Who would? I didn't take it seriously at first but now I am a believer. I see them in my dreams. One way or the other they have demanded my pennants. And I fear that Lt. Jackson will be their instrument. Do not mourn me. I have accepted this. I love you and pray that this letter reaches you._

_Your ever loving husband,  
Christopher._

Kate stared at the small note she had found in the ship's safe on the first day she had taken command of HMAS Amberley. It sat on the desk in her cabin that was slowly pitching up and down silently taunting her. It had been the cause of her unsettlement from the moment she had come aboard this ship which, ever since the start of all the mechanical problems that eventually culminated in a collision with a civilian ship, many around Cairns were calling 'cursed'. Command of this 'cursed boat' was now weighing heavily around her neck like a hangman's noose. She had only narrowly avoided falling through the trap door but it felt as though it would only take the slightest thing to complete the job.

Kate shuddered.

Involuntarily she reached up to the back of her neck as she felt what could only be described as an ice cold prickly sensation on the back of her neck. Rubbing the affected area slowly she quickly put it to the back of her mind as being nothing more than one-of-those-things.

Her eyes began to scan her quarters. She knew she had plenty she could be doing but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt emotionally exhausted and this was having an effect on her body. The more she sat there alone thinking about it the more she came to realize that she had not eaten properly in days. She knew taking command of a patrol boat would be tough but this seemed like it was designed to break her and it was working.

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY  
BRIDGE

The Arafuran Sea was unsettled. It wasn't too much for the Amberley to handle but it did make for a rather uncomfortable night for the crew of whom only the most experienced managed to stay upright without having to grab hold of something especially those on the bridge the highest point on the ship where the listing to port and starboard was strongest. The most junior sailors aboard the patrol boat walked like they'd had their shoe laces tied together.

Lieutenant Taylor stood in the corner of the bridge looking over his navigational charts seemingly oblivious to the goings on around him. To the rest of the crew he still remained something of an outsider preferring not to fraternize with them on shore leave. It wasn't that he didn't like any of them, quite the contrary, he just preferred his own company when on shore.

2Dads manned the helm and sat back in his seat with his hands wrapped around the wheel like he was driving a sports car rather than a patrol boat. His charismatic used car salesman smile hid the fact that in the pitching and bobbing sea his Tuna sandwich that he had eaten before coming on watch was circling around his belly trying desperately to take revenge on him in what would surely be a torrent of vomit. Still, he was new to the crew and so kept up the pretence that everything was ok and that he was built like a rock.

Between 2Dads at the helm on the port side of the bridge and Taylor on the starboard side with his maps there stood Satchwell. His gaze into the night seem seemed long and hard as if he had somehow left his body behind and was out there on the waves that were assaulting the Amberley's hull as it forced its way through the sea.

He had said very little since coming on watch. In fact as 2Dads started to notice just how quiet the bridge was compared to what he was used to aboard HMAS Hammersley it quickly dawned on him that the HMAS Amberley was actually quite a quiet ship in terms of conversation.

"I don't think the Arafura is too pleased about us sailing on her tonight, hey Ex?" chirped 2Dads before discretely swallowing to fight off his Tuna sandwich's latest attempt at freedom.

"We're invaders," said Satchwell not breaking his gaze from the darkened horizon ahead of them. "We aren't supposed to be here but we force our way through into a world that we have no right to be in."

"I see," said 2Dads somewhat amused before he silently mouthed the word 'weird!'

Suddenly a loud beeping sound emanated from the radar set. Taylor went to investigate and to his surprise the radar showed a contact well within their detection range. The vessel was large enough to be detected at the extremity of Amberley's radar range, smaller ones being more difficult due to the curvature of the Earth, but somehow this one had approached to within three miles of the ship undetected and was immediately aft of their position.

For Taylor the whole thing seemed suspiciously familiar.

Satchwell walked over and took a look for himself. He looked down at the small blob on the radar screen but said nothing. Taylor meanwhile felt that his XO probably wanted some kind of explanation as to how it had managed to sneak behind them but alas he had none. It felt like the radar ghost they had encountered on their very first night at sea had returned. As the radar beam swept around once more the target on the screen vanished.

"Sir," said Taylor. "I don't know how I can explain this, I uh…"

"It's ok Lieutenant," said Satchwell. "I'm sure it's just a glitch. I guess we will have to pay closer attention with our eyes."

"Sir, maybe we should contact NAVCOM and inform them of this. A faulty radar set is a serious threat to the ability of the ship to operate and we are going into a combat environment."

"Your opinion is noted Lieutenant but we will continue onwards without embarrassing ourselves to NAVCOM anymore than we already have. Alright?"

"But sir maybe we should at least call the CO and inform her?"

"It can wait till the morning, Lieutenant. For now let her rest."

Taylor knew he was fighting a losing battle and so he submitted to the XO's will even if it made him feel incredibly uneasy. He nevertheless returned to his charts in the corner of the bridge but as he looked up and out across the sea his eyes burst fully open in surprise. Had he seen it or was it just a trick of the rather poor light? A fishing boat; an unfamiliar type. He thought he had seen it if only briefly. He was used to the night playing tricks on him especially in weather like this but he was sure that when he had seen it was real. Solid; as solid as the vessel he was standing on.

He looked again but there was nothing, no sign of any kind whatsoever that there was a vessel out there or had been. Then he remembered the apparently faulty radar set. His mind calculated what could be the only logical answer that a trick of the light coupled with the radar wrongly saying that there was a vessel nearby must have caused his mind to put two and two together and come up with two thousand four hundred and seventy six point three.

With this thought he allowed himself a subtle smirk of uneasy amusement and he returned to his charts.

* * *

Seaman Rawlings was still getting used to the corridors of the Amberley. For such a small ship compared to HMAS Hammersley the Amberley presented a navigational challenge for the young seaman who had somehow missed his bunk on the lower deck before ending up near the engine room. Realizing his mistake he turned around only to be confronted by Jenkins, one of the Kingston crew who was on his way back to the engine room.

"What do you want?" asked Jenkins.

"Missed my bunk," explained Rawlings.

"Aw well I wouldn't want any of you lot to miss your pillow now would I?" said Jenkins standing aside.

This mocking attitude that the Kingston crew had was starting to wind Rawlings up like a toy. He had been shoved on a boarding party by Fritz who then downtalked the Hammerlsey crew to a senior officer from NAVCOM. He then had to endure the stigma that a member of each crew had been involved in two related vicious attacks with one dead and the culprit suspected by some to be their own Buffer. He was finally reaching his limit.

"What's your problem, Jenkins? In fact what's the problem with your whole crew?"

"Don't you talk about us like that, _mate_! Our guys have been the height of professionalism. It's you Hammersley bastards and that CO of yours who has somehow managed to worm her way back in command of this hulk when she should be court martialed for crashing into that civvy ship."

"Lieutenant Commander McGregor is a damn fine officer!" protested Rawlings who raised himself to his full height and marched upon Jenkins who responded in kind.

"Oh yeah she's talented," said Jenkins. "Everyone can see that. I wonder if she used her…_talent_ on Commander Marshall to get back in command?"

He didn't know why but that was the straw that broke the camel's back for Rawlings. He threw himself at Jenkins, pinning him up against the opposite wall. His blood boiled as he readied himself to start pounding the insolent Kingston crewmember with his fist.

"Rawlings!" roared a voice from further up the corridor.

Still holding Jenkins up against the wall, Rawlings turned to find the intimidating-looking Buffer stood firm with his arms crossed like the most frightening angry father he had ever seen. Even in the pitching deck Buffer managed to keep himself firmly upright without having to reach out and grab hold of anything. It was as if his feet were nailed to the deck which made him all the more intimidating.

"Buff!" gasped Rawlings who only then seemed to realize he was holding Jenkins several centimeters from the floor. Rawlings let go of his prisoner, who seemed to drop back down onto the deck, and looked down at his hands. He couldn't believe that he had used them in such a way against a fellow sailor. It wasn't like him. People had teased him in the Navy before, it's just part of the military life, but he had never felt such rage suddenly surge through his body. It was like someone had injected a needle into him filled with anger and adrenalin.

"Well?" growled Buffer. "I'm waiting for an explanation. Rawlings? Jenkins?" Both sailors remained silent not sure exactly how they should respond. "Oh, so you were just giving each other a cuddle is that right?" Again they didn't respond other than both of them looking slightly embarrassed and ashamed. "Well go on then!" They looked at him not sure they had heard him right. "Cuddle!"

Both Jenkins and Rawlings looked at one another and then back to Buffer still not convinced they had heard him properly. To confirm his instruction Buffer raised his left eyebrow indicating to them that he was serious and to disobey would be unwise. Rather delicately Jenkins and Rawlings placed their arms on each other's shoulders before both men took a deep breath and seemed to bang their chests together before breaking away and turning back to Buffer.

"Well wasn't that sweet!" said Buffer with potent sarcasm. "Almost brings a tear to my eye seeing two fellow sailors getting on so well but in future I recommend that the two of you keep such displays of crew affection behind closed doors." When he saw that the two of them were now too embarrassed with each other he dismissed them.

This somewhat unorthodox form of discipline was something only the old school sailors knew the true meaning of. Buffer knew that by making them do that they wouldn't want to ever mention the fact they were at each other's throats again thus ending it here and now. It also meant that by making sure they kept silent it prevented spreading dissent amongst the already divided crew of HMAS Amberley.

Buffer knew it was a risk to himself since he was in fact overstepping his authority. In the Royal Australian Navy you can't order crew members to cuddle but again he knew that it would be an embarrassing thing for either sailor if they ever filed a grievance against him. He was sure he was safe but more importantly he had made his point with them.

* * *

Kate quickly hid the letter she had been staring at for the past half hour back in the safe as the sound of someone knocking on her door reverberated around the room.

"Just a minute!" she called out as she quickly pulled out any paperwork she could reach for from the row of folders on her shelf to make it like she was doing some mundane task of command. Once she was satisfied that she had created a believable scene in front of her she called for the visitor to come in. The door clicked open to reveal someone she was desperate to see.

"May I speak with you please, ma'am?" asked Buffer.

"Uh, of course," said Kate keeping up a pretence of having strictly professional feelings towards her visitor even though those feelings had blossomed into something more.

Buffer stepped in and even though they both knew it was a risk he closed the door behind him. It was a risk because it could arouse suspicion that something other than the regular CO-Buffer interaction was taking place. Nevertheless they had both silently agreed to take that risk.

Once the door was closed and they were alone both of them suddenly found themselves on their feet staring at one another from only a few dozen inches away although it must have felt like miles to either of them. In fact they may have well have been on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Finally they both tried to speak only to find themselves talking over one another and then both stopping before the first word had completely formed. Taking the lead, Buffer nodded for her to speak first.

"Are you ok?" she asked him, it seeming the most obvious thing she could think of to start with.

Buffer's lips separated ready to begin speaking but it took another deep breath before he could form any words.

"I'm fine," he said. "You?"

With contact established she dared to take a step forward.

"I didn't think they…" she started before cutting herself and correcting her words. "I mean, I didn't think you would be able to join us."

"A ship needs its Buffer."

"So does the CO," she said.

An energy now seemed to be emanating between the two of them now that they were in such close proximity. It was drawing them together getting stronger by the second until finally they were forced to submit to it. Very carefully the two of them edged towards one another with their arms outstretched before they locked into a gentle but compassionate embrace. She buried her face into his left shoulder as she inhaled his aftershave and relished in the comfort that came from having his arms around her.

"Kate," he said. "I had nothing to do with Scooter. I wanted to find him, yes, but I wasn't about to give him an hiding and I certainly wasn't going to throw him off a pier! You believe me don't you?"

"Of course I do," she replied pulling herself from his shoulder to look at his face. "I knew you wouldn't do anything like that."

"I was with Bomber the whole time, she can vouch for me."

"Bomber?" asked Kate wondering why he was with her that night but with only a hint of jealousy; she had trusted him with her heart and she knew that was a safe bet.

"She found me looking for Scooter and managed to convince me to give it up and let the Police handle it. I crashed on her sofa for the night before I came back to the ship the next day."

That was enough for her. She knew he was telling the truth. In fact if he had said he had actually been to the moon that night she would believe him because if there was one thing Buffer wasn't it was a liar.

"Have the Police spoken to Bomber?"

"Yes but that McElroy guy doesn't seem convinced," explained Buffer. "I think he's got it in for me."

"If you didn't do it then who did?" she asked semi-rhetorically, she didn't mind if he gave an answer.

"Someone else on the ship," he stated clearly. "Perhaps even one of our guys, I mean from Hammersley."

She broke away from as she listened to his words. She did not want to accept that as an answer and he could see it in her eyes that the idea that anyone from the ship they had all served together onboard for three years could have been capable of murder!

"You don't really believe that do you?" she asked him hoping he would give her an answer somewhere along the lines of 'no, of course not'. She would be disappointed however as he looked at her and said, "I don't know but there's something about Amberley that just brings out the worst in people. Who knows I guess?"

* * *

Satchwell had left the bridge and was now down on the boat deck at the aft-most end of the ship. He looked into the wash from the propellers as they cut through the unsettled sea from almost the exact point where only a few days earlier Morales had tried to jump.

A bell suddenly called out from the night. It emanated from behind the patrol boat and rang out a second time as if calling him, trying to get his attention. There in the distance, bobbing up and down on the waves, was a small fishing boat with only a single light glowing inside the wheel house.

"Soon," he whispered in its direction. "I promise."

It was only there for a few moments before it disappeared behind a wave as if satisfied it had got an answer from Satchwell.


	28. Blood on the Deck

0935HRS  
76 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF SAMARU

"This is the Australian Navy; stop or heave-to I intend to board you!"

HMAS Amberley cut through the waters off Samaru like a blood hound in search of its prey in this case a type-3 FFV that had been tracked by a French patrol aircraft in the early hours of the morning. The grey predator moved smartly alongside the fishing boat whose engine chugged and coughed black smoke into the air as it barely made six knots. The crew of Amberly had prepared themselves for yet another boarding but as they doned their gear and Buffer issued their weapons there was unease amongst them. Incredibly, even though they were in a combat situation, the members of the ship's company, a hybvrid compliment of two other vessels, seemed to eye up one another with mistrust and suspicion as though they were in fact enemies themselves.

Little things indicated the rather vast divide between the two crews as they sailed to the Samaru Islands. These little things varied from crewmembers from one crew ignoring members of the other. Whenever the Cheffo would cook up SCRAN it would always be that the Hammersley crew would get theirs first and eat together and then the Kingston crew would would do the same. The only interaction that ever took place between them was when on duty and that was always forced and unwilling. This was no way for a warship to be when sailing into a combat scenario. A crew should be a well oiled machine but Amberley's crew was more like a cage of trapped rats all scurrying about fighting with one another for dominance.

"Vessel not stopping ma'am," said Taylor viewing the FFV through binoculars from the ship's bridge.

Kate looked through her own set at the grubby looking boat that was still shooting puffs of black smoke into the air from its small exhaust. It was odd that the crew didn't change course the moment they saw Amberley come over the horizon but as she inspected the vessel close up she saw no indication of there being a soul onboard. Given the boat's nearly unchanged course since first being detected she started to wonder if it had been abandoned by its crew either deliberately or accidentally. There was of course another possibility.

"What do you think ma'am?" asked Buffer who stood just behind her with Satchwell both of whom were ready in their boarding gear.

Kate lowered her binoculars. Her previous experience in these waters as XO of Hammersley had taught her well that the type of enemy they faced here was both resourceful and committed. She was using that as her mathematical brain weighed up the liklihood of each of the scenarios she was playing out in her mind.

"It could be that the crew were washed over board in the weather we had last night," she started before adding, "or they could be downbelow waiting for us. Either way we have to stop that vessel." She turned to Buffer and Satchwell who stood waiting for her command. "Hand sot boarding stations!"

"Yes ma'am," said Satchwell.

"And gentleman!" she said stopping them in their tracks. "Use extreme caution."

"Yes ma'am!" they said together as Taylor called the ship to boarding stations.

As she watched them step off the bridge she feared for their safety. Something about this whole thing didn't feel right to her and she wasn't going to take any chances. She didn't want anymore of her crew hurt.

"Lieutenant Taylor!"

"Yes ma'am," he replied.

"Have the gun crew train the Bofors on the FFV! If this is a trap I want whoever is setting it to know we mean business."

"Aye aye ma'am," said Taylor before picking up the intercom handset and relaying the instruction to the Bofors crew on the foredeck. "20/40, action instant! Acquire target vessel at Green Four-Zero!"

The instructions were repeated back to him from Jenkins who along with Able Seaman DeSilva was manning the Bofors gun. Kate watched as the gun turret swivelled around to the right and the barrel lowered to aim directly at the FFV. It was more for intimidation purposes than anything else although she knew that if she gave the order to fire the Bofors gun could cut an old hulk the FFV in two - literally. Having watched the clumsy weapon trained onto the FFV she began to wish she had a Typhoon from the Armidale-class. The Typhoon gun had so many advantages over the Bofors even though it was a smaller calibre weapon. It was more accurate and therefore more versatile in supporting boarding operations and it was operated by a single sailor in the safety of the bridge rather than having a gun crew sitting on the foredeck in what is quite an exposed position.

"Just have to make do," she uttered under her breath.

* * *

The RHIB bounced heavily as the fibreglass hull made contact with the water. With the slackening of the line from the crane Buffer pulled the release and the RHIB was now free of Amberley. The RHIB was steered by Leading Seaman John 'Botcher' Buchannan, a Kingston crewman. Having watched Buffer free them from Amberley, Botcher applied the throttle and steered the little craft away from the patrol boat kicking up spray as it went.

"Safeties off!" instructed Satchwell as they neared the FFV. "Me and Buffer first, then Rawlings and then Fritz. Lead from the front hey Buff?"

"Yes sir," replied Buffer.

Botcher maneuvered the RHIB up alongside the FFV. As the rubber ring bounced against the side of the hull both Buffer and Satchwell leapt up from the rub and jumped over the side and onto the FFV. No sooner had their feet hit the deck then Buffer and Satchwell raised their Steyrs and buried the butt of their weapons into their shoulders firming up their grip. Staring down the sights of their rifles they scanned for any sign of movement from any hidden crewmembers.

"Australian Navy!" roared Buffer in a tone that could instill fear in even the bravest of illegal fisherman. There was no reply.

Rawlings and Fritz soon followed their XO and Buffer onto the FFV and took up covering positions behind them.

"Australian Navy!" repeated Satchwell but again there was no response. Satchwell squeezed the transmit button located on his chest webbing that was linked to his portable radio and spoke into the microphone. "Charlie-Nine-Seven this is X-ray-Nine-Seven; no sign of any occupancy. We're moving forward to secure the bridge."

"Roger that X-ray-Nine-Seven," crackled Kate's voice in their earpieces.

"Buffer, you and Rawlings take the port side," instructed Satchwell. "Fritz, you and I will take starboard."

Even though they were in the middle of a boarding Buffer couldn't help but take a moment to notice that Satchwell now resembled a fine XO once more. He took that as a good omen.

The two groups of sailors moved forwards, their weapons raised. They weren't taking any chances. In fact the lack of response from anyone aboard the ship only heightened their caution as they stepped over fishing gear and netting that appeared to have just been dropped onto the deck.

"Buff," said Rawlings looking to get his attention. Buffer stopped and looked back at Rawlings who was staring intently at the floor. Buffer glanced down to see what he was looking at and saw a pool of dark red liquid – blood. "Is that human?"

"Could be anything," said Buffer. "Just keep sharp until we've secured the boat."

Rawlings did as he was told and simply stepped over the liquid secretly hoping it belonged to some rather large fish caught by the crew before they abandoned the boat. Both groups now met up at the wheelhouse. Despite the numerous windows around the small structure at the front of the vessel there were still plenty of places to hide inside.

Satchwell signaled for Buffer to kick open the door while the rest of them covered him. Buffer swung his rifle down to his side holding it behind his right arm as it swivelled on the strap over his shoulder. Looking from left to right to check that everyone was ready he braced himself as he felt the rush of energy fill up his right leg, charging it up ready to break down the door. In one swift move he kicked it around the handle causing the old rotten wood to splinter and snap as it broke open. Buffer then quickly stood aside to allow his shipmates to rush in.

"Australian Navy!"

There was no one inside the wheelhouse. It was just as empty as the rest of the boat. Now they were sure that the entire vessel was void of any crew the members of the boarding party began to relax.

Buffer went to the helm and reduced the throttle. The grumbling old diesel engine coughed and spluttered as its power was reduced down to idle before Buffer killed it altogether and the vessel went silent.

"Charlie-Nine-Seven," reported Stachwell over the radio to Kate on the bridge of Amberley. "There's no one here, the vessel is completely abandoned, over."

"Roger," said Kate's voice. "Any sign of a struggle or weapons fire, anything that might indicate as to why the vessel was abandoned by its crew?"

"There is some blood on the deck but we can't be sure it's not from fish they've been cutting, over."

"Where's CSI when you need them?" joked Fritz.

"Is the vessel seaworthy?" asked Kate who Buffer could now see was watching them through binoculars on Amberley's bridge, the patrol boat now slowing down to match the nearly stationary FFV.

"There's no apparent damage," said Satchwell.

"Very well," said Kate. "We can't just leave it floating around out here so we'll assign a steaming party to take it to Samaru and hand it in to the local authorities."

"Roger that. I recommend Rawlings and Botcher. I know they are competent sailors."

Both Buffer and Rawlings looked at one another as if to silently appreciate Satchwell's efforts to end the feuding between the two crews even if it was immediately obvious and therefore ineffective. Nevertheless it was something of a breath of fresh air to hear members from each crew being praised together.

"Agreed," said Kate. "Have the RHIB return to Amberley and we will send over some supplies for them. Then you can return to the ship and we will continue our patrol. Charlie-Nine-Seven out."

* * *

HALF AN HOUR LATER

Rawlings and Botcher watched as the RHIB, now piloted by Buffer, turned away from them and headed back towards HMAS Amberley. Rawlings was a little unsure of Botcher. He was one of the Kingston crew he had not really got to know during the time the two crews had been together.

"What do you say we get this show on the road?" he said to Botcher who had waisted no time dipping into the SCRAN sent over from Amberley even though they were looking at an eighteen hour journey to the islands.

"Do you want to drive?" joked Botcher who proceeded to rip off a rather large portion of a Royal Australian Navy delicacy; a bar of raisin and nut chocolate.

"Sure," sighed Rawlings who now knew what kind of trip this was going to be.

Rawlings went into the wheelhouse and started the old diesel engine back up. It coughed and spluttered into life before Rawlings reapplied the throttle and steered the FFV towards the west in the general direction of the Samaru Islands. He then used what he assumed was the FFV's version of an autopilot; an old car steering wheel clamp designed to prevent cars from being stolen by preventing the wheel from turning. Once the autopilot/clamp was secure he took out the portable satnav computer from the supplies they had received from Amberley and began charting their course back.

Botcher was busy too; enjoying a cup of coffee.


	29. Harbinger

HMAS AMBERLEY  
1556hrs

Kate stepped down off the bridge as the crew settled in for the third run of their established patrol route. The allied forces in the region had put a tight barricade around the islands after hostilities had flared up once again. The patrols that Kate and the others from Hammersley had undertaken the last time they were here were much larger than the ones they were undertaking now. More vessels had been called in to provide an almost solid line of patrols around the islands. Patrolling west of the Amberley's position was the British Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Severn while to the east was the French ship Suffren.

As she returned to her cabin to update her logs she was pleased that the day had thus far passed without incident. The boarding of the abandoned FFV had been textbook and while the two crews aboard Amberley were still keeping their distance from one another they were, for now at least, working together. Satchwell on the other hand had maintained his distance from everyone even his own people and yet the Kingston crew seemed to be showing him unquestioned loyalty. It was something she couldn't quite fathom.

She arrived at her cabin door and reached out with her right hand to push down on the handle. She suddenly recoiled. Her heart felt a jolt. It was strange. As her hand neared the brass of the handle she felt a cold snap over the top of it almost like she was putting her hand into freezing cold water. She had noticed this several times at different places all over the ship. Maybe it had something to do with the ventilation? Whatever it was she was getting annoyed by it. It was a nuisance that was adding to an already volatile atmosphere.

In defiance she slammed her hand down on the brass and opened the door to her cabin. The door slowly creaked open and she found herself staring into her empty quarters. So why then was she hesitating to enter? She felt like she was in a cheesy horror movie where the monster was about to jump out at her and yet as silly as it seemed to her she was hesitating from entering. Like she had done with the handle she knew the only way to approach this was head-on and so she took a deep breath and charged in.

Nothing happened.

She closed the door behind her, feeling foolish about it all as she did so, before taking her seat at her desk. She took out her log book and placed it down in front of her. Picking up her Parker pen she began to write the latest entry in the story of the Amberly when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Damn it!" she uttered before dropping the pen onto the book. "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal Buffer looking more like a nervous schoolboy than a hardened sailor. She only had to land her eyes on him for a split second and she knew that he was here as a personal friend, perhaps more, and not anything to do with the operations of the ship. He simply couldn't hide it and he showed no intention of any pretence. He quickly rushed in and closed the door behind him.

Kate tried to remain composed but found her self leaping to her feet at the sight of him. It was as if his own anxiousness was emanating from him and reflected in her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her with a tone of concern.

"Yes of course it is," she replied. "How are the crew holding up?"

"Which one?" he joked in a not-so-funny way. "Sorry ma'am. Everything seems to be ok for now. I think everyone's just settled into it."

"Everyone still talking about Scooter?"

"I'm still the prime suspect," he declared raising his arms in frustration.

"I don't believe that for a second. That you had anything to do with it I mean. If Bomber says you were with her all night then I guess that's the truth." Kate's tone hinted that there was a question hidden inside it. Buffer picked up on it.

"You know that all I did was sleep on her sofa, don't you?"

"Of course," she said. _He's lying_. "What?"

"I didn't say anything," said Buffer.

"Nevermind, probably nothing."

"Would it have mattered if it wasn't all that happened?" he asked almost daring himself to utter the words afraid of the answer he might get. He knew he was testing the water. He wanted to do it if only to examine just how deep this new relationship of theirs was or whether it was a passing thing.

"What do you mean?"

"Just what are we, Kate? I want to be close to you but it doesn't feel that way now. We slept in each other's arms right there on that bunk but since I was arrested…"

"Is that what you think ?" she asked almost disgusted by what she thought he was suggesting. "You think I don't believe you about Scooter don't you?"

"Don't you?" he asked, his voice pleading with her for solace.

She marched up to him. He braced himself for what he thought would be the inevitable and justified slap across the face. She threw her arms around him and she kissed him. Her touch was tender and loving. The kiss was soft but powerful. She unlocked her lips from his and rested her forehead on his shoulder locking him in her embrace.

"I can't believe you would do something like that. I won't believe it."

"_Fool!"_

Her ears twitched as she thought that for a moment she had heard a voice but she passed it off, her mind was too fixed on him to worry about something she might have heard even if it was a little confusing.

"I'd never do anything to hurt you," he whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling her seductively. The warmth was suddenly replaced by a gentle chill against the skin on the back of her neck. Carried on the breeze that had brought the chill was a sound. It was a sound of laughter. She couldn't ignore it this time because now it was too clear to pass off as her mind playing tricks with the sounds aboard a patrol boat.

"What is that?" she growled through gritted teeth as she pulled angrily away from him looking around her cabin for the source of the sound as if it were hiding from her somehow.

"What's what?" he asked.

"Someone's laughing. It's like…a child."

"A child?" he said his eyebrows lowering quizzically.

" _- Leave them alone."_

"There!" gasped Kate. "Did you hear that?"

"I didn't hear anything." He was getting more confused but above all worried for her. He was beginning to wonder if the stress was starting to get to her and that he had somehow made it worse.

"That one was different. It was older somehow."

The hairs all over Kate's body stood on end as the child's laughter that only she could hear echoed once more in her ears.

" _- Why are you punishing them? I am the one who hurt you," _said the older voice_._

"_I don't care. It'll be over soon."_

"There are people talking," explained Kate.

"Probably the TV from the enlisted mess," said Buffer trying to explain what she was hearing.

" – _Get away from here! Now!_"

"_I'll be back!" _

Kate suddenly felt herself pushed to the side. Invisible hands, icy cold in their touch, grasped her left arm and shoved her sideways onto the bed as it dashed passed her. Buffer rushed to her aid feeling only the cold residual air the entity left as it made its escape.

"Kate!" he yelled with worry.

She had landed front down onto her bunk, her blond hair falling untidily over her face. Leaning over her he helped her back up until she was sitting on the side of her bunk before kneeling down in front of her. He brushed her hair aside and looked into her eyes before again asking if she was ok.

At this close distance he watched as the pupils of her eyes dilated into big black saucers staring blankly over his right shoulder in the direction of the door. Noticing this he began to turn his head to see what it was she was staring at.

"No!" she gasped almost breathless with fear. "No, don't!"

"Kate, what's the matter?" he demanded trying to shake some sense out of her. "Tell me for God's sake!"

"Pete, listen to me very carefully," she said slowly almost in a breathless fear fuelled whisper. "I want you to slowly turn your head over towards the door. Very slowly, do you understand?"

"Why? Kate, what's the matter?"

"I need you to tell me something."

"What?" he barked getting angry. "What Kate?"

She took a deep breath, so deep it seemed to suck in all the oxygen around them, before she answered nervously, "There's a man standing by the door. He's wearing a white Navy-style shirt with dark trousers and a cap. He's got Commander's bars on his shoulders. I need to know if you can see him. Do it carefully."

Buffer's heart seemed to rise up into his mouth as he fought for his own breath. He did as he was told and slowly began to turn his head to the right. His eyes seemed to drag across the wall opposite them as if they were acting like anchors trying to stop him. As his head turned through ninety degrees the side of his face became cold to the touch like on a cold winter's morning. He began to shudder. It was now like being in a freezer and someone was turning down the temperature. As his head reached the maximum it would turn on its own he slowly began to rotate his body so he could see the rest of the way.

There he was! Exactly how Kate had described him.

Before Buffer could react the man looked at them, his face pale white and his eyes seemingly empty as though his skin were a suit that no one was wearing. His mouth began to move and words were soon slithering out from between his lips. He spoke in a smart American accent.

" _- I can't hold him for long. You don't have much time."_

His skin began to peel away and turn to powder, first his nose and then his cheeks before his head began to break apart. The rest of his body quickly followed, the powder-like remains being carried through the door on some undetectable wind. As quickly as he appeared he was gone.

Buffer slowly and nervously rose to his feet trying desperately to comprehend what he had just seen. He walked carefully towards the spot where the man had stood looking for any trace someone had been there but there wasn't any. The temperature in the room seemed to be back to normal but as Buffer placed his hand on the door which the man disappeared into it felt like he was touching a refrigerator.

"That was Christopher," she said rising onto her rather wobbly legs.

"W-Who is he?"

"He was the captain of this boat when it was in the U.S. Coast Guard."

"Then who is the other one he was talking about? The one that was laughing."

"I don't know," she said walking up to him. "But I think we should be very afraid of him. Of…IT."

* * *

STEAMING PARTY

Rawlings sat at the wheel of the fishing boat that slowly chugged its way towards the Samaru Islands. He was having to keep alert for any vessels in the area, not easy given the limited view from the bridge, the vessel lacking any radar. His efforts were curtailed by the constant snoring of Botcher in the seat opposite. Every grunt seemed to drill a hole into the side of Rawlings' head.

After two hours of listening to the rising and falling Botcher's nostrils he'd had enough. He reached over and kicked Botcher in the left leg rudely waking him from his heavy slumber.

"Hey! It's your watch!"

"Alright, alright," grumbled Botcher as he stirred in his seat.

Botcher slowly rubbed his eyes before dragging himself out of the chair and walking slowly towards the helm. Although it wasn't very sailor-like of him Rawlings just let go of the wheel and walked away leaving Botcher to slither his chubby hands onto it.

"We're still eleven hours away from Samaru," Rawlings said taking the seat left warm by Botcher. "Make sure you check in with Amberley in half an hour."

"I know my job," rebuked Botcher.

"Really!" gasped Rawlings. "What's that exactly, hmmm, professional slumber party organizer perhaps?"

Botcher turned to face Rawlings and launch into a tired, sleep-interrupted fury when his mouth burst open with blood as the bridge of the vessel erupted with the sound of glass and gunfire. Rawlings dived onto the deck for cover just as the dead body of Botcher landed beside him, his lifeless eyes staring at him.

Rawlings could hear the sound of a high speed engine coming up along side them before the sound of boots jumping onto the wooden deck outside the wheelhouse caused him to make a run for the radio. He took hold of the handset and climbed underneath the chart table as he squeezed the transmit button and yelled into it, "Mayday, mayday, this is Echo Nine-Seven calling Amberley. We've been boarded by hostiles." As he continued to speak into the microphone he saw a man of Asian-oriental origin rushing towards him, an AK-47 rifle in his hands. "Our coordinates are One-One-Sev-."

The butt of the AK-47 rammed against the side Rawlings head sending him onto the deck. The handset swung on its chord over his unconscious body as the man looked down at his victims. Suddenly the radio crackled into life. Expecting to hear the sound of an Australian radio operator trying to make contact with their steaming party the man was surprised to hear what he likened to the sound of a laughing child.


	30. Course Change

89 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH EAST OF THE SAMARU ISLANDS  
2015hrs

Under a quickly darkening sky the two hundred and seventy ton vessel cut through the water as it surged towards the Samaru Islands. The aggressive lines of the grey painted Armidale-class patrol boat gave it a menacing, almost intimidating appearance. It seemed as though it had been years since the Armidales were last at sea when in fact it had only been a few months while the problems were fixed. Every boat has character but this particular one seemed to ooze of personality unlike any other vessel in the Royal Australian Navy for sitting proudly on the side of this boat on an oak placard was the proud name "Hammersley".

While from the outside the Armidale-class Hammersley looked just like it had done before it went in to be repaired, inside it seemed like a new ship because there were so many unfamiliar faces now walking its decks. With half the original crew manning HMAS Amberley the chasm left had to be filled by the remaining crewmembers from HMAS Kingston as well as a few from HMAS Armidale herself. For Lieutenant Commander Mike Flynn one of the most difficult aspects to get used to was not having Kate McGregor as his executive officer. Instead he had Lieutenant Commander Dick Curry, the CO of HMAS Kingston, filling the role. The two of them had known each other for a long time and despite the rivalry between the crews of their respective ships they had remained friends which certainly made this situation a little easier to grasp.

Mike stood enjoying a brew of tea behind Swain who was manning the helm while they continued to make their way north towards their patrol zone. Swain was transfixed by the radar screen in front of him since this area was now a hive of military activity. Three 'blips' were highlighted on the circular screen two of which were steaming east towards Timor. Swain reasoned they were probably filled with Samaruan refugees trying to escape the fighting. The other 'blip' was heading south at fifteen knots. This was the British patrol vessel HMS Severn.

Suddenly the radar beeped as a fourth blip appeared to the west of Hammersley. Mike's eyebrows lowered as he leaned in to examine the screen a little closer. A series of numbers appeared above the 'blip' and Swain quickly checked the notes he had made prior to going on watch which he kept in the chest pocket of his grey coveralls.

"French destroyer," he said confirming the identity codes that Hammersley was receiving from the vessel that were now projected above its radar image. "The Suffren, we're going to be encroaching on her patrol course. I don't think they'll like that."

"Definitely not," said Mike before chuckling from telling himself a private joke. "Alter course, bearing zero-two-zero. We'll get back onto our original course once we pass by."

"Aye sir," said Swain, "altering course bearing zero-two-zero."

They were now joined by Dick Curry who walked up behind them having overheard what was going on.

"Poms, aussies and frogs all in the same area," he uttered jokingly. "Always an explosive combination."

"Well perhaps we should have brought a rugby ball?" said Mike smiling before he took a sip of his tea. As they talked they failed to notice that RO was on the radio. RO regularly communicated with other vessels in the area and only ever informed anyone when it immediately affected the ship so it was no surprise that his work often went unnoticed.

"I wonder how Satchwell and McGregor are getting along on that old boat," said Curry staring out into the murky looking horizon.

"Missing your XO?" asked Mike.

"Missing my own _boat_, Mike," replied Curry.

"Not too keen about serving on the old rival as my XO?"

"Well be honest Mike, would you?" said Curry with a half-amused nod of his head.

"I guess not," laughed the Hammersley's CO. His laughter was short lived.

"Sir!" boomed RO's voice from across the bridge.

"What is it RO?"

"Sir, I've just received a message from HMS Severn. They're relaying a mayday call they've picked up from one of our steaming parties. Seems they were attacked by hostiles but the transmission cut out before they could get a fix on their location. The Captain of HMS Severn is setting up a search pattern and is asking if we're doing the same."

"It's an Australian steaming party?" asked Curry. They all knew that this was a large international effort and there was always the chance of information getting confused as it was passed from ship to ship.

"Yes sir," said RO. "The steaming party is from HMAS Amberley."

"That's Kate's boat," added Mike even though no one onboard Hammersley needed reminding. "Alright, RO inform HMS Severn that we will be joining the search. You'll also need to inform NAVCOM to see if they can get an Orion in the air to try and locate them. Oh and let the Amberley know, they're going to be concerned about their fellow shipmates."

"Yes sir," acknowledged RO.

"Nav; get on the radio to Severn's navigator and coordinate with them to maximize our search area."

"Yes sir," said Nikki Caetano.

"Let's go team," bellowed Mike who had now put on his 'game face'. "At the rush!"

* * *

HMAS AMBERLEY  
ENGINE ROOM  
2025hrs

Andy Thorpe, known as Charge to his crew and even friends on shore, had been asked to do a lot of things over the course of his career in the Royal Australian Navy. He had sailed in the Persian Gulf aboard several vessels during the 1980s and early 1990s where the threat of an Exocet missile ripping into the hull was a very real possibility. He had gone on countless boardings of FFVs, many of them hostile, to enforce Australia's Economic Exclusion Zone and just over a year ago he and Hammersley's crew were asked on numerous occasions to travel into harm's way around the Samaru Islands with mortars landing around them and machine gun fire whizzing over their heads. Experience had tought Charge that he may often be asked to do something difficult but as he stood down in the engine room of HMAS Amberley face to face with two of his old shipmates from Hammersley he couldn't believe what he was being asked to do.

"You want me to…to sabotage the engines?" he asked incredulously, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the machinery that whined around them. It was the perfect place for them to talk since the drone of the Cummins diesel engines prevented their voices from carrying.

"No," interrupted Buffer.

Kate quickly added, "No, not both of them just one so that we get recalled back to base."

"Do you realize what you're asking me to do?" he asked them both.

"Yes we do," said Kate. "Charge, I can't order you to do this in fact Navy protocol demands that you inform the Ex of what I've asked you to do but we need to get back to base and off this boat as quickly as we can."

"Well I wont argue with that fact," said Charge remembering his own experiences aboard the Amberley, "but why the sudden urgency?"

Both Kate and Buffer shared a glance. They never uttered a single word but their silence spoke volumes. They knew they could trust Charge, if they didn't then they wouldn't be here now, but would he believe them if they told him of their mysterious encounter with the ghost of the former Captain of the patrol boat. If only they had known of Charge's own experiences then they wouldn't have had to concern themselves with it.

"Andy," said Buffer who caught Charge's attention by using his first name. "If you have ever trusted us mate trust us now. We have to get this boat back to shore and we need to get everyone off it. Once we're back in Cairns _then _we'll worry about what we're going to do next but first we need to get back."

Charge took off his HMAS Amberley baseball cap and wiped a faint layer of sweat from his brow as he pondered what they were asking him to do.

"Charge we need you," pleaded Kate.

"Alright," said Charge finally. "Alright, I'll do it but on one condition; this conversation never happened. If I get questioned I'll deny this ever happened and I suggest we all do the same. If we're caught it wont just be the end of our careers. We're deliberately damaging government property and they send you down for that."

"Agreed," said Kate relieved. "Thank you Charge."

"What are you going to do?" asked an equally relieved Buffer.

"Well, I suppose I could rig the engine coil to short out. Hell with the luck this boat's been having I don't think anyone at NAVCOM is going to even question it."

"Thanks Charge, get it done as soon as you can," said Kate.

"Davies is going to be back any minute now. I'm going to need to get him out of here first."

Davies was one of the Kingston crew and he and Charge had given each other a wide berth for much of the time they had been on Amberley.

"Do you need a hand with that?" asked Buffer subtly hinting that he was contemplating creating some kind of 'accident' for the engineer, so serious was the situation.

"No I can take care of it. Just leave it with me."

The three of them gave each other understanding nods but didn't say anymore on the subject. There was no need to. They all knew what they were doing and they knew the risks involved. While he was out of the loop on the full facts he trusted Buffer and Kate enough to know that they had their reasons.

Buffer and Kate left Charge to take care of what he had to do in the engine room to put their plan into motion. While they were somewhat relieved by the fact he had opted to side with them they felt a hefty pit in their stomach forming, getting larger and larger by the minute. What they were doing flew in the face of everything they had ever trained for and believed in. They were going to sabotage one of their own boats! Just a month ago this would have been unthinkable.

"We're doing the right thing aren't we Kate?" Buffer uttered quietly into her left ear as they made their way forward towards the bridge.

Kate came to an abrupt halt stopping Buffer in his tracks. She turned slightly to the side before looking up at him, staring intensely into his eyes.

"You saw _him_," she said quietly. "You heard what he said."

"I'm just starting to wonder, how do we know that he was the good one? How do we know he isn't the, God I can't believe I'm saying this, how do we know he isn't the ghost that's been causing all these problems?"

"We don't," replied Kate quickly checking around them for someone who might be listening. "But the trouble began when we set foot on this boat. This is more than just crew rivalries. Whatever it is that's causing this has claimed the life of one person on this boat and very nearly claimed the life of two others. Morales and Spider were lucky. Scooter wasn't. This is my command and I am not going to allow anyone or anything to claim more of my crew."

Discretely, Buffer wrapped the fingers of his right hand around hers.

"I'm with you all the way, Kate," he said to her. The two of them longed to kiss one another but that would have to wait. "Let's do it."

They walked away oblivious to the shadow that arched outwards from the enlisted mess. Once they had started to climb the steps up to the bridge the shadow moved in pursuit slithering its way across the deck towards the bridge.

Kate stepped onto the bridge first followed by Buffer. 2Dads was manning the helm while Taylor sat over his charts. Satchwell stood with his back to them staring out at the sea ahead of them. They had only been on the bridge a few moments but already Kate and Buffer knew something was wrong. The atmosphere seemed almost stale as though it had been trapped there for an eternity but above that was the feeling of hostility that seemed to be emanating around them focused entirely on the two new arrivals.

"What's our status?" asked Kate feeling uneasy about the lack of interest from Satchwell at her arrival on the bridge – hardly the mark of a good XO. No one answered her right away. Taylor only dared glance up at them from his charts once or twice but refused to make eye contact. Even 2Dads stayed silent. "Lieutenant Satchwell!"

Satchwell finally turned around and faced them. He stared blankly at the two of them, his face almost totally emotionless. Looking at him Kate likened him to a puppet, he was moving and showed all the actions of a human being but it was as if it were detached somehow. As he spoke his voice stayed dry and without feeling as he explained coolly, "Our steaming party has been attacked by a hostile force. We've lost contact and I have altered course to search for them."

"Why wasn't I informed that we had been tasked by NAVCOM?" asked Kate whose temper was boiling.

"You're not in command anymore," replied Satchwell.

"What?"

"Davies!" yelled Satchwell. "2Dads!"

Davies appeared behind Buffer and Kate having waited for them to walk passed him on their way to the bridge. He stood behind them with a pistol sitting in a holster on his belt looking eager for an excuse to draw it on them. 2Dads took position in front of them, having put the helm on autopilot and took out a baton he had been concealing behind the helm position. 2Dads looked positively terrified but despite being Hammersley crew it appeared that he was no ally.

"2Dads?" gasped Buffer.

At that point Leading Seaman Ralf Palmer, the Amberley RO, appeared from the radio room located at the bottom of a small stairwell ahead of the bridge and stood in amazement at what he was seeing. He had been one of the more uninterested members of the Kingston crew preferring to stay out of the rivalry.

Satchwell stood tall and proud as be boomed, "Acting Lieutenant Commander Kate McGregor, I am relieving you and Buffer Tomaszewski from duty and assuming command."

"On what grounds?" asked Kate firmly.

"Attempting to sabotage the ship."

Buffer and Kate's hearts seemed to sink almost in unison. They couldn't believe it. They had only just made the arrangements with Charge so how could Satchwell have found out so quickly. Neither of them believed Charge would have betrayed them. There must have been more to it than that.

"Is it true?" asked 2Dads who was almost desperate for them to deny it.

They said nothing.

"Do you see?" said Satchwell to 2Dads. "They're not even trying to deny it. Davies, lock them in the CO's quarters. Then I want you to head to the engine room and apprehend Charge before he does any damage to the engines."

"Yes boss!" said Davies proudly before he began to lead his sullen prisoners off the bridge.

Taylor and Ralf shared a concerned look with one another but remained silent through the whole affair. Once Kate and Buffer were off the bridge Satchwell turned back to 2Dads who was still looking for clarity on the whole affair. He couldn't believe he had turned on them but he found it equally hard to believe that he was watching them confess to plotting to sabotage the Amberley.

He knew that his time in the Navy was an alternative to prison and that if he showed any signs of bad behavior then he would be behind bars in no time. That was not the preferred option and so he played it safe and followed Satchwell's orders.

"2Dads," said Satchwell. "Good work, now let's get back to finding our people."

"Yes sir," said the frightened blond haired sailor.

"Sir!" said Ralf finally.

"Yes?"

"Should I inform NAVCOM of the change of command, sir?"

"We are conducting a rescue operation, Leader," said Satchwell. "I'm ordering an immediate communications black out until further notice to avoid tipping off those who took our steaming party. We don't know how advanced they are and they could have electronic listening devices. Understand?"

"Yes sir," said Ralf uneasily. "I'd…uh…better get back down below in case we here any news."

"That would be a good idea," said Satchwell who returned to his thousand yard stare ahead of the ship. "Until then I have the ship."

Ralf disappeared below decks and into the radio room. His whole body seemed to shake from the adrenalin that was now filling his veins. He didn't know what to do. Surely NAVCOM should be informed of something as serious as this? One thing that really worried him however was that he did not know when the order for Amberley to begin searching for their missing comrades came in. Having monitored all comms in the area he knew that Hammersley had been tasked along with two allied warships but Amberley hadn't received any new orders.

It was clear to him that the situation was spiraling out of control and he felt an overwhelming urge to do something. He knew there was only one thing he could do. Despite orders for a communication black out the Amberley was soon transmitting a single, rather brief radio message.

"Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is Australian warship Amberley requesting assistance."

* * *

**Author's Note - I would like to dedicate this chapter to "Oldladywolfy" and "Wes Imlay" both of whom have been a constant source of support and encourgament for this story. **

**Once again I'd like to thank everyone for keeping up with the story and apologise that the updates are often a long time coming.I hope they are worth the wait.  
**

**- Tony**


	31. The Opportunity

**HMAS Amberley  
2033Hhrs**

It is an unnatural feeling for a sailor to be threatened on their own boat. You expect external threats to you and the ship when you're in the Navy, its part of the military way of life, but to have your life at risk within the confines of the steel hull that you come to call home defies the mind. It's more nefarious and more hurtful. A mutiny can only be likened to having members of your own family turn on you and that's precisely how Kate and Buffer felt as they were lead away from the bridge at gunpoint. Yes; the hybrid crew had been a troubled one but they had until now all stayed together.

"Come on, hurry up!" demanded Davies who stood behind them with his gun drawn as he marched them to Kate's quarters.

Buffer's mind played out a hundred scenarios as he postulated a way of taking the gun from Davies' hand. They were in quite close quarters along the corridor and Davies was very close behind them; an obvious mistake when dealing with prisoners. When they reached Kate's quarters she looked up at Buffer and saw what he was thinking. She discretely shook her head telling him not to do anything. Buffer begrudgingly agreed.

"Open the door!" instructed Davies and Kate slowly obliged.

"Don't do this," she said to Davies. "What you're doing is illegal and you will be subject to criminal penalty if you-."

"Shut up!" barked Davies like some kind of street thug.

"You are speaking to your CO," said Buffer. "You should show her the respect she deserves."

"She doesn't deserve my respect and neither do you. Do you have any idea what we all want to do to _you_? We all know it was you who killed Scooter."

"I never killed him," uttered Buffer. "You've got to believe me."

"Buffer!" said Kate cutting him off quickly as she saw Davies' emotional state rising exponentially regarding this subject. "Let's just do as he says."

Buffer nodded silently before turning away from Davies to follow Kate into her quarters. Davies remained so close to him that he could almost feel the gun barrel poking him in the back. As he passed the doorway the deck below their feet began to vibrate. Suddenly the whole vessel seemed to lurch to the left.

Davies, in his heightened state, almost lost his footing. With no time to think Buffer took this opportunity. He spun around on the spot grabbing Davies' hand that was clutching the gun, pushing the weapon away from him and Kate. Now that he was committed he knew he only had one chance to disarm Davies and that if he failed it would probably be the end of his and Kate's life. He felt all the energy in his body surging through his right arm as it powered up and retracted backwards. In one sudden move his arm surged forwards with a clenched fist landing squarely on Davies' jaw which cracked underneath the force of the impact. Davies fell backwards against the adjacent wall spitting blood and bone fragments before passing out from the pain.

"Let's get him inside, quickly!" said Kate and the two of them reached down for the now unconscious Davies, clasping each arm and dragging him across the floor into Kate's quarters.

"What the hell was that?" asked Buffer as he let go of Davies' right arm once the would-be captor was in the middle of the floor between Kate's bunk and her desk.

"Charge," said Kate almost breathless from adrenalin. "He must have damaged the port engine. That's why we're turning to the left. The starboard propeller is still turning."

"So what's the plan, boss?" asked Buffer as he picked up the discarded pistol off the floor.

"We have to get to Charge and get off the boat. We can't stay here."

Buffer's right hand was beginning to throb from the pain of hitting Davies' jaw. He suspected he had broken a bone or two of his own in his hand and as such could not hold the pistol properly without feeling intense pain.

"I'll take that," said Kate pointing to the weapon and he handed it to her, butt first.

"So how do we get off the boat?" asked Buffer cradling his injured hand. "We can't exactly launch a RHIB without Satchwell noticing."

Kate closed the door behind them concealing Davies inside before they began making their way towards the engine room. "We're not going to take a RHIB. We'll need to get some life jackets for the three of us and then we will head to the aft of the boat and deploy one of the SOLAS containers."

A SOLAS or Survival Of Life At Sea container is a barrel-like object that contains an emergency life raft and survival gear. If a ship sinks quickly, e.g. as a result of enemy fire, the SOLAS equipment will automatically deploy when it is immersed in water. This means the crew will have the appropriate survival gear after abandoning the stricken vessel. In the old days if you didn't get the raft and supplies in the water by the time the ship sank your fate was in the hands of God only. A patrol boat such as Amberley carries enough of these containers to accommodate twice the standard crew compliment therefore Kate, Buffer and Charge would not be risking the safety of the remaining crewmembers by taking one.

Kate continued, "I'll get Charge to disconnect the emergency transceiver so that Amberley can't detect it. There's a lot of traffic in this region given everything that's happening on Samaru. It won't be too long before we're found."

"Yeah but the question is by who? This sea is swarming with pirates and terrorists."

"It's a risk we will have to take," she said as they reached the entrance to the engine room. "But one thing is for sure we can't stay here. Charge!"

"Over here," replied Charge's burly voice from behind one of the huge Cummins diesel engines.

Having entered the engine room a voice behind them roared, "Freeze!" Buffer and Kate whipped their heads around to find the Amberley Cheffo, one of the Kingston crew, standing behind them with a pistol drawn. "Put the weapon down, ma'am!"

Kate, knowing that he could shoot her before she raised her own pistol, threw her gun to the floor.

"Cheffo, listen to me," said Kate firmly. "Satchwell is not in his right mind. He has taken things too far."

"Did you sabotage the ship?" asked Cheffo.

Kate took a deep breath. "Yes. We had no choice. This boat has to get back to base and the only way to do that was to look as though we had engine trouble."

Although he was the one with the gun Cheffo didn't feel as though he were in control of the situation. Charge was to his right while Buffer was off to the left. He started to feel like he was trapped animal and paranoia was beginning to grip him. He had never had to face anything like this in his career before and he was as lost in the situation as any of them.

"Why do we have to get back to base?" asked Cheffo.

"I can't really explain it to you," said Kate, "but you have to trust me. This boat has to get back to sh-"

"Oh my God!" gasped Cheffo suddenly looking in the direction of Buffer. Kate and Charge looked at Buffer to see what had caught the attention of Cheffo but all they saw was their shipmate. "What the hell is that?" Suddenly Kate had an idea of what was going on.

"Cheffo! Cheffo!" she cried but the former Kingston crewmember refused to look at her. Instead he kept staring intensely at a point behind Buffer. "Cheffo! What do you see?"

"There's a man standing behind Buffer!" said the terrified sailor. "He's...He's standing inside the engine block. His face! Oh my God. He's got no face!"

Buffer felt extremely uneasy and began to move away from the spot where Cheffo could see the apparition. Cheffo couldn't take his eyes away from it. He was paralyzed with fear at the sight of the ghastly figure.

"Cheffo, listen to me," said Kate. "You now know why we have to get off this boat. He won't hurt us but there's something else here. Something that's making everyone turn against one another."

Cheffo wasn't listening, he just kept staring at the blank featureless face of the apparition that seemed to be staring back at him. As his eyes tried to make sense of what he saw it became clear that something was beginning to form on the apparition. It was now gaining a face. Cheek bones and lips were appearing followed by eye sockets. It was taking the form of someone and he soon recognized the spirit he was staring at.

"No!" he screamed as he threw gun around in the spirit's direction. He found himself staring down the barrel of a gun at his own dead face that the entity was wearing like a mask. "No!" He began firing at it.

Buffer threw Kate to the ground as bullets began ricocheting off the walls and engine compartments. Charge, who was now behind Cheffo, threw himself at the crazed sailor reaching for the gun with his hands. He grabbed hold of it with both hands as Cheffo continued to fire crazily at the ghost, the retreating slide of the pistol burning the palms of Charge's hands as he wrestled for control. Charge managed to get the pistol out of Cheffo's hands just as the last round in his clip was fired.

Suddenly there was an almost blinding flash. Charge and Cheffo felt an immense wall of heat hit them, throwing them to the floor. One of the bullets had severed the fuel pipeline and a corresponding bullet had sparked as it hit the nearby wall. The spark ignited the fuel sending flames up into the air licking the walls and engines as it raced for the ceiling sucking in oxygen as it went.

The fire detectors immediately detected the sudden burst of heat and an alarm began sounding throughout the patrol boat. Although the fuel line had been automatically cut upon the sounding of the alarm the fuel that was already running through the engine was igniting causing components to start shooting off in several directions.

"Are you alright?" asked Buffer to Kate.

"Yes, what about Charge and Cheffo?"

"Over here!" yelled Charge. "We have to get out and seal up the engine room. We can try to smother the fire with the CO2. Stay low!"

The four of them crawled their way across the engine room floor as the flames and thick black smoke danced around the air above them. They each coughed and choked as they tried to breathe what little air the fire wasn't consuming. As they neared the hatch to the engine room they saw Ralf, the RO, running towards them. He was followed by several more crewmembers, Hammersley and Kingston, all of whom were getting ready to tackle the blaze.

The four of them were helped out of the engine room coughing and choking as they went. They left behind the engine room which was now ablaze as the engine lubricant and fuel burned intensely.

"Close the hatch!" coughed Kate and Ralf quickly fought through the smoke to get to the hatch. He pushed it closed and the fire was, for the time being, trapped inside. Smoke that had escaped the carnage now filled the corridor they were in and they all tried to stay as low as they could until it dissipated.

Charge turned onto his back still coughing from the smoke and bellowed, "You have to...get the bridge to activate the fire suppression system. It's our only chance to save the ship."

"No!" bellowed Kate. "It's too late for that."

"Ma'am?" asked Ralf who clearly still viewed her as his C.O. despite being a Kingston crewmember.

Kate saw an opportunity to save her crew and Buffer knew it. The two of them shared a glance that appealed to the other for support and knowing what she was planning he silently gave her his consent.

"We have to abandon the ship. Those are my orders." She then turned to all of them, virtually the entire crew had assembled in the corridor to fight the fire. "Those are my orders! You can either follow them or you can stay here and try to fight this fire but it _will_ consume the ship. An effort to save Amberley will be in vain. It's your choice."

There was silence amongst the crew for several seconds as they thought about what she was saying. Finally Seaman Anders, a Kingston crewmember, shouted, "Yes ma'am!"

* * *

**Author's Note.**

**I hope you have enjoyed this latest chapter. It is currently the 17****th**** December 2011 and I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year**

**Tony**


	32. The Final Hour

**HMAS AMBERLEY**  
**BRIDGE 2041HRS**

Satchwell stood in the centre of the bridge, his eyes glazed over. Lt. Taylor had taken out a blueprint of Amberley and had it spread out over his navigational charts. He was trying to organize the fire fighting effort but something was interfering with the radios. He was unable to reach the firefighting teams in the aft compartment of the ship. Considering that fire was perhaps the most serious threat to a ship Taylor couldn't help but wonder why Satchwell wasn't taking more of an active role in orchestrating the fire fighting effort. It was as if he had become almost totally catatonic and Taylor assumed he was gripped with fear. The young navigator began to have sympathy as he assumed that events were overwhelming his fellow officer.

From the navigation station on the starboard side of the bridge, Taylor could see almost the entire length of the right side of the vessel and as he looked over the blueprints once more trying to assess how the fire might spread, something on the aft deck of the ship caught his attention. He looked to the right towards the rear of the vessel and could see his fellow shipmates deploying the SOLAS canisters. As the small barrel-like objects dropped into the sea they began to sink before they burst open and the life raft inside began to inflate. Each one was big enough to comfortably hold ten people.

"What the hell?" gasped Taylor. "Lieutenant, the crew. They're abandoning the ship!" Satchwell remained silent and motionless. "Lieutenant Satchwell!" Taylor left his charts and marched over to Satchwell standing in the centre of the bridge. He walked in front of him looking directly into Satchwell's eyes. "Lieutenant?"

The next moment was a blur for Taylor as Satchwell struck him with his right hand sending the young navigator crashing to the floor holding his nose as it began to bleed. Satchwell's gaze was finally broken and he looked down at the hand he had used to strike Taylor. Blood from Taylor had splashed onto Satchwell's hand and Satchwell looked at it as if it were something curious. He lifted up the stained hand and began to sniff the blood taking it in like he was sampling some new kind of fragrance on sale in a men's shop.

"So fragile," said a voice emanating from Satchwell's mouth. His lips weren't moving as he spoke, his mouth just ever so slightly opened.

Taylor looked up at his assailant, his hands trembling as he covered his bleeding nose. He was terrified of what Satchwell would do next. For Taylor it was like the whole world had been turned upside down. His ship was on fire, the crew were jumping into life rafts and right now he felt as though he was Satchwell's hostage. As he sat there on the floor neither he nor Satchwell were looking at the radar screen. If they had been they would have seen the small blip that signalled a vessel approaching Amberley.

* * *

**AFT DECK**

2Dads carried the semi-conscious Davies out onto the aft deck where the crew were clambering in to the inflated rafts having retrieved him from Kate's quarters. Buffer rushed up to help him and soon the two of them were lowering the injured sailor down the side of the ship into one of the rafts. Once he was safely in, Buffer turned to Kate and said, "That's everyone ma'am except for Satchwell and Taylor."

"They must still be on the bridge," added 2Dads.

Buffer turned to look at the aft facing windows of the bridge trying to see if either one of them was looking back. "They must know what's going on. What are they playing at?"

"Alright Buffer, 2Dads," said Kate. "Abandon ship. I'm going to the bridge."

"Ma'am you can't go alone," said Buffer. 2Dads on the other hand was already clambering down the cargo netting on the side of the ship and into the awaiting life raft where Charge was propping up Davies against the inflatable sides.

"I have to get them off the ship," said Kate. "They are still part of my crew."

"Satchwell had a crewmember threaten us with a gun," protested Buffer. "Who knows what else he is capable of? At least let me come with you."

"Not with your hand like that," she said pointing to his heavily swollen hand that he had broken punching Davies.

He stepped in closer to her and spoke with a quieter tone so as not to be overheard. "Kate, we know this ship has had an effect on us all-"

"Petty Officer Tomaszewski; you have your orders. Please carry them out."

"Kate..."

She looked up at him and whispered, "I am responsible for everyone on this boat. I have to try and convince them to leave with us. I want you to take command down here and get the crew away from Amberley. We both know that the fire is going to eventually spread to the fuel tanks. When that happens...Please, Pete. Do as I say."

Buffer swallowed his own guilt about leaving her and his fear for her safety before uttering, "I'll be waiting for you."

Buffer turned around began to climb down the cargo netting into the raft leaving Kate standing on the deck of Amberley looking down at them. Once he was inside both he and Charge began rowing the raft away from the doomed vessel. They watched as Kate began to run back towards the main forecastle to an open hatch that lead back inside.

"She's got a death wish," uttered 2Dads.

Buffer angrily grabbed hold of 2Dads' collar with his still good left hand and tugged him violently. "You shut the hell up! You turned on your Captain. Don't think for a second I've forgotten that."

* * *

**HMAS AMBERLEY**

Kate raced up the central corridor of the main forecastle towards the bridge. As she ran passed the galley towards the enlisted mess she felt her heart in her chest thumping against her ribs and seemingly throbbing in her head. Amberley was only a small warship but the journey towards the stairs that lead to the bridge seemed to take forever even at a running pace. It was as though the ship had been stretched when in fact it was Kate's own perception being altered by the emergency of events.

As she reached the enlisted mess the deck below her trembled violently as a loud roaring sound filled the almost empty ship. She lost her footing and fell to the floor landing hard. She tried to lift herself upwards but as she did so she felt the air turn hot. She looked behind her back in the direction of the stairwell that led to the lower deck where the engine room was located. Like some devilish serpent slithering its way through the ship a column of fire rose up from the lower deck twisting and turning as it went.

Kate screamed and instinctively rolled onto her front with her hands on the back of her head in a desperate effort to protect herself. She felt the flames pass just above her as it consumed the ceiling before quickly retreating backwards as the fuel powering it was exhausted. The corridor was left stained but intact. Kate rolled back over in disbelief that she had survived the blast. In those brief and frantic moments she honestly believed she was about to die. She looked back down the corridor and could see the fire was now burning at the stairwell. The entire lower deck was now ablaze. She recaptured her wits and stumbled back up onto her feet before continuing on towards the bridge.

The blast had been caused by one of the fuel tanks igniting. The fire in the engine room had melted down one of the safety valves that had engaged when the fire was detected. Although the damage to the lower deck was now considerable and any hope of saving the ship was lost the hull remained intact and so the Amberley stayed afloat however there were a further three fuel tanks that were now at risk. Anyone of them could cause an explosion that would rip through the hull that was no doubt beginning to weaken through the intense heat. Kate knew this and it drover her onwards. One question was at the front of her mind however; why weren't Taylor and Satchwell leaving voluntarily?

She reached the door to the bridge having run up the stairs coughing from the smoke that was pouring from the aft of the ship and thrust it open. She rushed onto the bridge to find Lieutenant Taylor lying on the floor beside the helm position. His face showed signs of a beating with bruises on his cheeks and his eyebrow. He looked up through pitiful eyes at her.

"Lieutenant!" she gasped but as she took a step forward she felt a heavy blow land on the right side of her head originating from a concealed spot behind the opened door. She fell forwards landing against the seat for the helm.

Satchwell stepped forwards looking down at her as she used the back of the seat to hold herself upright. In his right hand was a 9mm pistol which he had used to strike her. Regaining her balance she turned around to face him. He raised the pistol and pointed it at her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked him.

"Penance," he replied.

"Penance?"

He reached down and grabbed her by the collar with his left hand. Holding the gun to her head he began to drag her back down the stairwell leaving Taylor on the bridge. Kate couldn't keep up with the near frantic pace that Satchwell was travelling at. Several times she stumbled and he dragged her back onto her feet.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked as he dragged her outside through the foremost hatch. As she fell against the handrail running along the circumference of the ship she could see the rafts were now a safe distance from the ship. Satchwell didn't stop there however. He continued to drag her forward toward the bofors gun that sat on the foredeck where he finally stopped and turned her around to face the ship.

"It's amazing isn't it?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked coughing from smoke filled lungs.

"Look at it!" he demanded and tugged her collar to shake her into compliance. Kate looked back at the ship. HMAS Amberley was now aglow from the fire that was raging through the aft of the ship. Orange flames illuminated black plumes of smoke that were rising into the darkened sky. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It's a ship," she uttered terrified.

"It's more than that!" he barked into her right ear. "It's my ship! My…Ship!"

"Who…Who are you?"

Satchwell laughed. "Finally figured it out? It took you long enough. I was created by this ship and what the people on it did. They killed a family because they were incompetent and clumsy. They crashed this ship into their boat."

"That was another crew, they were half way around the world," pleaded Kate. "That wasn't us."

"It doesn't matter," said Satchwell. "I didn't choose to be what I am."

"What are you?"

"Rage! Anger! I was created to take revenge for what happened to those people. Some might even call it justice. It's amazing what pure hate can create and what that creation can attach itself too. I was born from the hate of the only survivor of that family. That hate took on a life of its own and took this ship as its body so that I could take revenge. I couldn't get the whole crew of this ship's previous life so I just settled for the Captain."

"You killed the Captain?" she asked shuddering.

"Yes," he replied. "It was difficult; you know how loyal a crew can be to their Captain. So loyal they might even lie for him to cover up the truth that he killed those people. So what better way to punish him than to turn the crew against him? They knocked him on the head and threw him overboard. They claimed he was suffering guilt for what he had done."

"But why us?" she asked him again. "We had nothing to do with it."

"Because I still exist!" roared Satchwell. "As long as I exist I have my purpose. This ship was supposed to have been scrapped and I would be released from my duty but instead I found myself with another crew. I had to keep doing my work after all it's what I am. You made it too easy for me. Two rival crews forced together, you did all the groundwork for me. All I had to do was convince Scooter to stab Spider and then I used this body to get rid of Scooter. And now it's just us. Not long now, Kate."

Suddenly a bright light landed on them emanating from the port side of the ship. Kate struggled to see through the powerful beam, her eyes being accustomed to the dark. The source of the light was continuing to move alongside the Amberley and a voice crackled from it.

"Lieutenant Satchwell, this is Lieutenant Commander Mike Flynn of HMAS Hammersley. We have you covered. Put down the weapon and release Lieutenant Commander McGregor."

As her eyes began to focus on the source of the light she could make out the silhouette of an Armidale-class patrol boat as it came alongside the burning HMAS Amberley. They had received Ralf's distress call.


End file.
